The Trio and the Half Blood Prince
by Obsessed With 52
Summary: Part 4 of the Trio Series. With Voldemort's return finally public knowledge, our trio learn the truth about the Prophecy and the secret to Voldemort's immortality. Harry finds love while Ron and Hermione's love for each other becomes even stronger. I don't own Harry Potter. R/Hr H/?
1. A Discussion With Dudley

Chapter One: A Discussion with Dudley

Harry Potter had just finished breakfast at number four, Privet Drive and made his way back up to his room and the dog that was his godfather. Harry, with no summer homework, was even more bored than usual. He did have Snuffles for company but he was still bored. He had written a letter to Ron and Hermione since he had gotten back the previous evening and was waiting for a reply from his two best friends. He had written just the one letter because, these days, to write to one of them, was to write to the other at the same time. He had written nothing about his new feelings for Ron's' sister, Ginny, but if he knew Ron as well as he thought he did, then Hermione probably knew of his new feelings, too.

Snuffles could sense that Harry was down, but he decided to ask him when they got back to Black Cottage later this evening. Harry had also found nine envelopes waiting for him on his desk. Three of them were addressed to him, and so he read them and found that they were letters of apology from all three Dursleys. Harry had hardly spoken a word to any of them since he had been back. Petunia had been so shocked from meeting Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody and Tonks, with her shocking pink hair that she did not want to cook, so they had ordered Pizza and they asked Harry what he would like, and Harry went for a large Margarita that he shared with Snuffles and Hedwig, his faithful, snowy Owl.

Harry emitted his twelfth sigh of the morning, when there was a knock on his bedroom door.

'Come in?' said Harry, questioning the unusual knocking.

The door opened to reveal his cousin, Dudley.

'Can I please come in, Harry?'

Harry was shocked that his cousin actually used his name and he had asked so nicely.

'Um, okay,' said Harry.

Dudley moved into the room and closed the door behind him.

'I was wondering if we could talk. I know I've made your life hell and I wanted to say I'm sorry.'

Harry saw the lips move and that was the only thing his senses could confirm that it was Dudley that had spoken. Snuffles growled at Dudley as he moved to sit on Harry's bed.

'Don't mind Snuffles, he just takes my safety and well-being very "Siriusly". I read your letter, though. Did my godfather make you and your parents write them?'

Dudley did not get the pun on Sirius' name and just nodded.

'Was there something else?' asked Harry.

'I just wanted say I'm sorry for being such a prick. But, I was hoping you could explain what happened to me last summer, though.'

'What do you remember?'

'I was walking home and suddenly it got cold – really cold. Like – like –'

'All the happiness had been sucked out of you?'

'Yeah, anyway, I ran and it got worse and I heard this rattling breathing – it was horrible and I saw stuff in my mind, I saw your life, but I was living it. The way we all treated you … and then this bright light shaped like a Goat appeared and then I passed out. The next thing I know I'm back at home and some woman was telling mum and dad what had happened and she gave me some chocolate to help me. That's it.'

'Right, what you felt was the presence of Dementors. Non-magical people can't see them. They force you to relive your worst memories and the light you saw was a Patronus. They are the only defence against them. Here, I'll show you what they look like – Dementors, that is,' Harry opened his trunk and began to rifle through it until he found the book he was looking for: _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander. He quickly flicked through the book and showed Dudley the picture.

'Blimey, they're ugly!' he said.

'Basically, whoever cast that Patronus saved your soul that night. The chocolate helps you to recover from being in their vicinity – I should know from having been too close to them at school in my third year,' said Harry.

'What's it like? Going to a school of magic?' asked Dudley eagerly.

'Despite all the danger from Voldemort and his followers and incompetent teachers, it's actually quite fun. I play a sport called Quidditch – a game played on broomsticks, for my House team and I've helped to win the Championship for my House twice. Lessons are alright once you get the gist of it and have learned the basics. But the best part is that I made friends with several people, but my best friends are Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They've been through everything with me, almost literally to Hell and back. Without them, I'd probably be dead.'

'You're joking!' said Dudley shocked.

Harry shook his head and proceeded to tell his cousin all the adventures he had had with Ron and Hermione, and Dudley could not help but feel respect for his cousin and his friends increase with every story.

When Harry finished, Dudley wolf-whistled and said, 'Shit. I wish I had best friends like you do, Harry.'

'What, you don't reckon Piers Polkiss would willingly sacrifice himself in a life-size game of Wizard's Chess?' asked Harry coolly.

'No chance. He hasn't got the guts and I don't reckon he can play chess,' said Dudley.

'Well, Ron's a master. He even beat our Headmaster last summer, and let me tell you, despite his mistakes, Professor Dumbledore is a genius.'

'Wow.'

Then the front door opened and Vernon's voice echoed through the house, 'Petunia! Dudley! I'm home!'

They had been talking for so long they had not even noticed the time. Vernon was home and it was nearly time for Harry to leave. Harry began to repack his trunk as Hedwig arrived. He took the letter from her before giving her a treat and then locking her back into her cage.

'She's beautiful,' said Dudley looking at Hedwig.

'I know. She was my first companion and her name is Hedwig,' said Harry smiling at his owl, who gave a quiet but happy hoot. Harry carried his trunk downstairs and Dudley helped him with it, and then went back for Hedwig who had fallen asleep.

Vernon and Petunia were in the living room when Harry, Snuffles and Dudley walked inside.

'I take it you are going soon?' asked Petunia.

But then to the Dursleys' shock, Snuffles transformed into Sirius.

'Yes, we will be leaving in two minutes, Petunia,' was Sirius' reply to her question as Vernon spluttered on his tea. Harry saw Dudley mouth the word, 'Wow,' again.

After a short silence, Harry followed Sirius into the hallway. Sirius instructed Harry pick up Hedwig's cage as he picked up the trunk. Sirius raised his arm for Harry to take and as did, Dudley spoke again, 'See you, Harry.'

'See you, Big D,' Harry replied before Disapparating alongside Sirius.


	2. A Fortnight Is An Eternity

Chapter Two: A Fortnight is an Eternity

Severus Snape was sitting in his living room listening to music. He sat and mused over what had happened over the last fortnight. Two weeks ago he received an urgent summons from Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts. When he arrived, he found his mentor gravely injured. He had had the unfortunate duty of telling the Headmaster that the curse trapped in his right hand, would spread and eventually kill him within the year. The Dark Lord had confided in him his latest plan, a plan that heavily involved Draco Malfoy, and according to Bellatrix, the boy was not shirking in his duty, much to her delight. The same could not be said of Narcissa Malfoy. She had visited him and begged him to do all he could to help Draco and keep him from harm. Severus had gone as far as to make the Unbreakable Vow. The look on Bellatrix' face was priceless as he had asked her to be their Bonder. This had been a week ago, and since then, Snape, sick of Wormtail in his house, had informed the Dark Lord of his listening at doors and within an hour, the rat was gone and he had his house to himself once more.

Snape had the day's edition of the Prophet on the coffee table, but as he had already read it, he continued to listen to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. The Prophet's main headline and story was that of the death of Emmaline Vance and the attempted murder of Amelia Bones. According to the Prophet, both she and her niece had been out of the house, when the attack upon their home occurred. What nobody knew was that Amelia was with Sirius, and Susan, her niece, was staying with a friend. It was then there was a knock on the front door. Snape rose from his armchair and went to answer the door. The woman he found on his doorstep came as a surprise to him.

'Narcissa?' he said.

'May I come in, Severus?' she asked.

'Of course,' he stepped aside to allow her to enter and then led her into his living room.

She stood and listened to the music and said, 'What is this music?'

'It is the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven – a muggle composer who was deaf, but composed some wonderful work.'

'Sometimes, Severus, I forget that you are a half-blood. This is a rather nice piece.'

Snape, having heard the work more times than he could count, turned off the CD player before offering his guest refreshment.

Narcissa politely declined refreshment.

'Why have you come here?' he asked.

'I came here because I want to thank you again for what you are doing for Draco,' she replied.

'You could have done that in a letter, Narcissa.'

'Perhaps, but I owe you a debt, Severus.'

'A debt?' he asked confused.

'My son is all I have. Like I said last week, Lucius is in jail, and …'

'I know, I do not suppose it has been easy on you or Draco.'

'I owe you a debt, Severus. A debt I intend to pay.'

Narcissa removed her cloak. She was wearing blue dress that came down to mid-shin. Her blonde hair was immaculate and her eyes showed need. She walked to him and took one of his hands in both of hers.

'Narcissa? What –?'

She put her finger to his lips and said, 'Severus, how long have we known each other? Over twenty years? I have always thought you were an intelligent man. You surely know now why I am here?'

'Narcissa, I am flattered, but you are a married woman –'

'Yes, to a man in jail. I want to do this with you, Severus, I am a woman and I have needs …'

'I can't.'

'Can't or won't? Tell me, Severus, when was the last time you were with a woman?'

Snape looked away from her and that told her everything she needed to know.

'Never? May I ask why?'

'Never, Narcissa; as for the why, you do not want to know,' said Snape.

'I asked, didn't I? There must have been someone once, Severus.'

Snape sighed and sat down on the armchair. 'There was and I loved her, but she chose somebody else, and then she died …'

Narcissa knelt in front of him and took his hands again and said, 'I'm sorry, Severus. It was not my wish to hurt you. I care about you. I always have. You live alone and have no friends to speak of, you need companionship, someone to hold and I want to be that person right now and for as long as it takes to pay my debt to you.'

'And what about Lucius?' asked Snape, 'He is your husband, after all. And there is no debt to pay, Narcissa.'

'What he doesn't know won't hurt him. I like him well enough, but I have never really loved him. Damned arranged marriages. Please, Severus, take me have me anyway you want me. Treat me like the lowest Knockturn Alley Whore and I will not complain. I am offering myself to you, Severus.'

Snape saw the conviction in her eyes and so he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently. She responded by deepening the kiss as his arms went around her waist and her arms around his neck and eventually they stood up and only breaking apart to walk to the bedroom. Once they got there, Narcissa unzipped her dress and dropped it so it pooled around her ankles. She stepped out as Snape admired her lingerie. It was black lace, with a matching garter and silk stockings. Snape licked his lips before reclaiming hers once more. His clothing also began to hit the floor to reveal a pale chest, which she kissed delicately. Soon they were both naked. Snape kissed her as he laid her on the bed. He then kissed his way down her pale body, before going down on her.

'Oh …!' she moaned as Snape's tongue licked her pussy. Nobody had ever touched like this before, and as Snape continued licking her she moaned again.

'Oh, my … oh, Severus … Please keep going … yes, that feels so good …'

Snape began to wonder if Lucius had ever kissed Narcissa where he was kissing her right now, but judging by the sounds coming out of her mouth, it would seem not.

'Oh, God … oh, oh, Severus … I'm close … yes … oh … OH, OH, GOD, YES, YES, I'M CUMMING … OH, SEVERUS!' Narcissa cried out as Snape brought her to bliss and her orgasm hit her, causing her body to shudder.

Once her body ceased to shudder, Narcissa pushed Snape on to his back before she kissed her way down his pale body before taking him into her mouth. Narcissa had never done this before. Lucius' idea of sex was a quick rumble where he came quickly and then turning over to go to sleep. He had never allowed her to take control of him in any way. The next thing Narcissa knew was that Snape was growling her name as he blew his load into the back of her throat.

'Narcissa … I'm s –'

'Don't apologise, Severus, now, take me, have me any way you want me …' said Narcissa.

Snape then pushed her on to her back and entered her hard, causing her to moan loudly, before he began to pound into her.

'OH, GOD … YES … HARDER, SEVERUS, PLEASE … OH, OH, OH, GOD, YES …' she moaned.

As he was pounding into her, Snape was beginning to wonder if Narcissa had ever been fucked like this before as he gave her all she could handle.

'OH, OH, GOD … YES, YES, I'M CUMMING … ' she moaned but unfortunately for Snape, this proved to be his undoing as he let go first, but to his credit, he carried on until Narcissa came with wail of his name while her body shuddered once more.

'That was wonderful, Severus,' said Narcissa when it was over.

'Really?' he said in a sceptical tone.

'Yes, much better than Lucius. You're bigger than he is, and, he stops the moment he finishes, the selfish bastard.'

Snape could not help the chuckle that escaped from him. Hearing a woman of class like Narcissa swear was amusing. He then made her look him in the eye and said, 'A famous muggle politician once said, "A week is a long time in politics". Well, if a week is a long time, then I have to say a fortnight is an eternity.'

Narcissa smiled before they spent the rest of the evening shagging, but before it got too late, she Apparated directly to her bedroom and an empty bed.


	3. A Full House

Chapter Three: A Full House

It had been over a fortnight since Harry and Sirius had been back at Black Cottage and a lot had happened. Harry had received a letter from Cornelius Fudge begging him to become some kind of "Poster Boy for the Ministry". Sirius had sent a short two word reply with the second word being "Off". Then, shortly after that, Sirius had called for a Vote of No Confidence in Fudge, and the Wizengamot had voted him out of office. Harry had not been present because of the letter sent previously, and as another Minister was to be elected, he did not want someone else to try to use him, either. Sirius had acted as Harry's Proxy.

The loss of Emmaline Vance hit everybody hard, but then the attempted murder of Amelia and Susan Bones happened. Luckily, Amelia was out with Sirius, and Susan was with her friend, Hannah Abbott, at her house. Now, both Amelia and Susan were living at Black Cottage. Amelia was sharing with Sirius and Susan was in the guest room usually reserved for Hermione. Sirius had built an extension to the cottage so their new housemates could have their own space. Harry, meanwhile, kept himself to himself. He only ventured out of his room to use the bathroom or for meals. He had told Sirius why he was so sad and Sirius had tried to cheer him up with a promise of a visit to Potter Manor in a week or two. Ron and Hermione visited him frequently, and since he had helped Dumbledore to lure a former teacher out of retirement, and with Dumbledore's permission, had told them about the Prophecy. They had taken the news well. He could tell they were scared for him, but had given him their full support. This made Harry feel a little better and he even consented to go to the Burrow for a fly. Harry had avoided the Burrow for fear of running into Ginny. This was where Harry was now. He was currently watching Hermione freak out about her Owl Results, which were due to arrive any time now.

'I know I've failed everything!' she exclaimed.

'Hermione, love, please calm down, you're not the only one who's nervous,' Ron replied and he pulled her into his arms to soothe her, which worked until three owls arrived and held out their legs for the three of them to detach their respective envelope containing their results. Harry managed to detach his and opened the envelope, removed and unfolded the parchment to read.

_ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS_

_Pass Grades: Outstanding (O) Fail Grades: Poor (P)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E) Dreadful (D)_

_Acceptable (A) Troll (T)_

_HARRY JAMES POTTER HAS ACHIEVED:_

_Astronomy: A_

_Care of Magical Creatures: E_

_Charms: E_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Divination: P_

_Herbology: E_

_History of Magic: D_

_Potions: E_

_Transfiguration: E_

Harry was pleased with his results in general. However, getting an "E" in Potions was most unfortunate as the grade was not good enough to progress to NEWT Level with Professor Snape.

Meanwhile, all Ron could say was, 'Shit,' in a voice of disbelief as he read his own results.

'Ronald Weasley!' scolded his mother.

Harry, with his curiosity peaked, swapped results with Ron and read.

_ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS_

_Pass Grades: Outstanding (O) Fail Grades: Poor (P)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E) Dreadful (D)_

_Acceptable (A) Troll (T)_

_RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY HAS ACHIEVED:_

_Ancient Runes: O_

_Arithmancy: O_

_Astronomy: E_

_Care of Magical Creatures: O_

_Charms: O_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Herbology: E_

_History of Magic: A_

_Potions: E_

_Transfiguration: O_

Harry was gob-smacked. He knew Ron was smart, but this …

Meanwhile, Hermione was reading own results.

_ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS_

_Pass Grades: Outstanding (O) Fail Grades: Poor (P)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E) Dreadful (D)_

_Acceptable (A) Troll (T)_

_HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER HAS ACHIEVED:_

_Ancient Runes: O_

_Arithmancy: O_

_Astronomy: O_

_Care of Magical Creatures: O_

_Charms: O_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Herbology: O_

_History of Magic: O_

_Muggle Studies: O_

_Potions: O_

_Transfiguration: O_

She had passed with straight O's. She then showed Ron and Harry as they showed her theirs. Ron and Hermione congratulated one another the only way they knew how – with a long passionate snog as Sirius ruffled Harry's hair. Meanwhile, Mrs Weasley was congratulating Ron on his results once he and Hermione finally broke apart, and then, in typical Ron style, he asked about more breakfast.

After breakfast was finally over, Harry, Ron and Hermione went for a walk, where Ron and Hermione filled Harry in about the latest goings on.

'Bill's engaged to Fleur, now. But mum doesn't like it. She's trying to get Tonks over so Bill will like her instead, but it's pointless as he's too far gone on Fleur, and Tonks fancies Remus,' said Ron.

Just then, they were joined by Ginny.

'Argh, I'm getting sick of her!' said Ginny angrily.

'Sick of who?' asked Harry.

'Fleur, or as I like to call her; Phlegm,' growled Ginny.

Hermione rolled her eyes. But Harry said nothing.

'You know, you could be a little nicer to her. After all, you do get to be a bridesmaid along with her little sister, Gabrielle,' said Ron.

'I agree. She can't be all that bad, because she was smart enough to enter the Tri-Wizard. Besides, she's probably been nervous about meeting all of you for the first time not only as Bill's girlfriend, but even more so as his intended bride, and can't help trying too hard. So stop being such a brat and make a bloody effort,' said Harry moodily, much to the surprise of Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

Then, Harry, ignoring the look on Ginny's face, stood up and walked away.

Ron then broke the silence by saying, 'He's right. Come on, let's make our guest feel more welcome in our home.' He then stood up and helped Hermione to her feet and walked in towards the Burrow as Ginny sat still shocked at the way Harry had scolded her, because it had never happened before. But, quickly shook her disbelief away to join Ron and Hermione in getting to know her future sister-in-law.


	4. Diagon Alley

Chapter Four: Diagon Alley

The next few days saw little change in Harrys' bad mood. He barely spoke to Sirius or Remus as he found himself wanting to be left alone. Harry was so secluded that the news of a newly elected Minister of Magic passed him by. It had been a man by the name of Rufus Scrimegeour, who had been elected. It seemed that the new man was also attempting to gain Harry as a political ally, too. Sirius had met with Scrimegeour a few nights ago. Sirius had been offered his job back with the Aurors, but at a price. But the price, according to Sirius, was far too high.

Remus, meanwhile, had left Black Cottage to parlay with the werewolves to find out where they would stand in the struggle with Voldemort. Sirius was also explaining to Amelia that Harry was not usually this miserable and that it was not anything because of her or Susan.

The truth of the matter was that Harry was depressed due to the Prophecy and that his life would never be his own until Tom Riddle was dead. The only people he allowed to see him were still Ron and Hermione. Harry confessed to them that he did not want to get too close with anyone anymore, especially with Ginny. She was happy with a new boyfriend and she was better off without him being in her life. He cared about her that much, that he was intentionally pushing her away with moody looks and silences.

Harry's birthday celebrations at the Burrow were subdued too. Mainly due to the news that Igor Karkaroff had been found dead in a shack with the Dark Mark cast over it. But at least the Hogwarts' letters had arrived and then they could all go to Diagon Alley. Though the real reason why they all wanted to go to Diagon Alley was to see Fred and George's Shop; Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Ron was the one who wanted to see it more than anyone as he had been the one to invest in the twins, but he could not exactly tell his mother this, for fear of an exceptional bollocking, despite the fact that she now seemed to approve of the twins' chosen career as they were a success.

When they all went to Diagon Alley, Harry seemed to be in a more cheerful mood. He was out of the house and was also excited about seeing the shop as much as anyone. But when they arrived in Diagon Alley, they saw that the old street had changed. Several places had been boarded up and closed including Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and more significantly, Ollivander's. After a quick trip to Gringott's, the trio decided to visit Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. When they entered the shop, they found another boy being fitted before them.

It was Draco Malfoy.

'If you're wondering what that smell is, Mother, a Mudblood just walked in,' Malfoy said coolly.

Unfortunately for him, Sirius heard him. 'You watch your mouth, Little Boy,' he said.

'Who are you tell me what to do – you aren't my teacher anymore,' replied Malfoy angrily as his mother appeared.

'Hello, Narcissa. How are you these days, cousin?' said Sirius.

'I've been better, no thanks to you and your godson,' she replied coldly.

'Really, well, I don't think either of us can be blamed for your husband's stupidity,' was Sirius' reply.

'Don't you talk about my father like that!' said Malfoy angrily.

'Watch your tone, Little Boy. I'm warning you.'

'You can't do anything to me.'

'Oh, can't I? Your mother was born Narcissa Black and as I said earlier, she is my cousin, and that, unfortunately for both of us, makes you my cousin. Now, I am the Head of the other half of your family and Black Family Tradition decrees that any senior member of the family can discipline any younger members of their family should it be necessary. So, in short, Little Boy, if I so choose, I can take you outside and put you over my knee and then take a hairbrush or a paddle to your bare arse in the middle of Diagon Alley. I can also make your mother do it, too. So if you don't want to be humiliated in public, I suggest you apologise to Hermione, immediately.'

Draco looked to his mother to contradict Sirius, but all he received was nod confirming Sirius' words, he swallowed and said, 'I apologise, Granger.'

'Not good enough, Little Boy. Call her by her first name,' said Sirius.

'Sirius, it doesn't matter, I don't care what he thinks of me, or if he apologises and doesn't mean it,' said Hermione.

'Hermione, bigotry is unacceptable, and the Little Boy here needs to realise that if he continues to be like his loser father, he will end up in a cell in Azkaban right next to him.'

'I apologise, Hermione,' said Malfoy.

'Good boy. Narcissa, please make sure when you return home, that you teach him some manners, including learning how to address his elders and his betters. After all, I am Lord Black, and these two gentlemen are Lord Potter and Lord Weasley, respectively. As for Hermione, she achieved all Outstanding's on her O.W.L.'s, something I am sure your son did not, did he?'

'No, he did not. He achieved one Outstanding in Potions,' she replied sounding disappointed.

'Mother!' he exclaimed.

'Be quiet and know your place, Little Boy. Narcissa, please make sure he learns his place when you return home. Perhaps some household chores would teach him some manners and humility.'

'Yes, it shall be done. Come along, Draco, we are leaving.'

Draco then lifted the robes he had been wearing over his head with a wince and through them onto the floor.

'Pick them up at once,' said Sirius angrily, 'oh, and if I hear you disrespecting my godson or his friends while at school, I will come up there and punish you in front of the entire school.'

Malfoy complied and handed the robes back to Madam Malkin, before walking out of the shop, whilst rubbing his left forearm.

The rest of their shopping was done without incident and so they went to the twins' shop. When they got there, they could not believe their eyes. It was amazing. The sheer jolliness of the place made you forget how drab and dreary the rest of the Alley was. Everywhere you looked there were joke products, everything from Edible Dark Marks – which make people sick, to Portable Swamps, from Skiving Snackboxes to Patented Daydream Charms. The twins were also creating a more serious line in Defence products such as Shield Hats and other things. There was even a small section of Muggle tricks for people like Mr Weasley, but they still made good profit for the twins and Ron.

However, while they were in the backroom, they spotted Draco walking alone and they decided to follow him. They followed him down Knockturn Alley and a shop called Borgin and Burke's. Using an Extendable Ear, they overheard Malfoy threaten Borgin with a man called Fenrir Greyback if he did not do as he was told. Apparently, Malfoy wanted to buy something, but did not want to be seen carrying it. Unfortunately the trio's efforts to find out what Malfoy was buying proved fruitless as Borgin wasn't telling. So, they decided to go back to the twins' shop and managed to get back without being missed as Sirius was too wrapped up in checking out the twins' products.


	5. Aboard the Hogwarts' Express

Chapter Five: Aboard the Hogwarts' Express

After an exceptionally quiet drive home, Harry immediately pulled Sirius aside and asked if he would ever raise his hand to him. Sirius went white and immediately pulled Harry into a hug and quickly reassured him that he would never hurt him in any way, and with that all his barriers came down and he told Sirius everything. Everything about how he felt about Ginny and that he was pushing her away, and how scared he was of the Prophecy, everything.

'Harry, you can't let the Prophecy rule your life. You need to live for every single day. You need to make a move on that girl while you are at it.'

'I can't do that. Her boyfriend is one of my dorm mates. I don't need the hassle it would bring for myself, Ginny or the others who share the dorm, and more importantly, I don't reckon I can handle the rejection.'

Sirius decided it was no good trying to talk Harry into doing something he did not want to do. Harry felt better after telling Sirius all of his troubles, and then he went over to the Burrow for a fly, and there he apologised to Ginny for his treatment of her. Ginny forgave him and then Ron called Quidditch and the brothers who were there agreed to play. But after a quick game, Bill, Fred and George went inside.

Harry and Hermione sat and watched Ginny and Ron practice alone together to keep themselves up to scratch.

'So, Harry … How long have you fancied Ginny?' asked Hermione.

'Shush. Not so loud. How did you know? Am I that obvious?'

'Yes, you are that obvious, and Ron confirmed my suspicions, so tell me.'

'A while, but I realised it just after Christmas.'

'Oh, well, I can tell you this: don't give up. I know she still likes you, but she doesn't think you could or would ever like her back.'

'But I do, Hermione, and now I'm too late.'

'I thought I just told you not to give up?' she said half sternly.

'Fine, I won't.'

'Good, now let's watch Ron save all of Ginny's penalties.'

Harry chuckled and watched alongside his sister in all but blood.

0o0

When September the first arrived, everybody awoke early to go to school. After breakfast, Sirius drove Mr and Mrs Weasley, the trio and Ginny to King's Cross and they got there with plenty of time to spare. When they got there, Harry informed both Sirius and Mr Weasley about following Malfoy to Borgin and Burke's. Sirius and Mr Weasley both assured Harry that they would look into it, though with not much conviction. Harry then joined Ron and Hermione on the train before they went off to their Prefect Meeting, leaving Harry alone with Ginny, but Ginny told Harry that she had to meet Dean and so he was truly alone. But then he was met by Neville and Luna and the three of them took a compartment and sat down. Harry enquired as to how their summers had been. Neville told Harry that his Gran was proud of him for going to the Ministry and bought him a new wand. Apparently it was the last one he sold before he disappeared. Luna told Harry about her holiday with her father looking for the Crumpled-Horned Snorkack, before he and Neville began talk of Quidditch. Half an hour later, they were joined by Ron and Hermione. Ron and Hermione sat down and began to ask Neville and Luna about their summers as Harry had done. Ron then laid his head in Hermione's lap and closed his eyes as she played with his hair. Not long after the trolley had been, a girl came into their compartment.

'I'm supposed to deliver these to Neville Longbottom and Harry P-Potter,' she said breathlessly.

'What's this about?' asked Neville.

'An invitation, I think.'

'Slughorn?' asked Hermione.

'Yeah,' said Harry.

'Who's Slughorn?' asked Neville.

'New teacher, I suppose we have to go …' replied Harry as he stood up and then left with Neville, leaving Luna, Ron and Hermione alone.

Luna smiled and went back to her Quibbler as Ron and Hermione shared several long kisses and did not notice Luna leave after a few minutes. Ron and Hermione had to patrol the train again and so they walked through the carriages. They spotted Dean and Ginny with Seamus, Lavender and Parvati. They saw Malfoy in a compartment with Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini. Seeing no reason to speak to any of them, they went back to their previous compartment to find Neville and Luna reading.

'Hey, where's Harry?' asked Ron.

'Er, he said he had something to do and put on his invisibility cloak to avoid everybody staring at him,' replied Neville.

'Staring?' asked Hermione.

'Oh, yes, people seem to think Harry is some kind of "Chosen One",' said Luna.

'Oh, that,' said Ron as he and Hermione took their seats again, but this time, Hermione sat on Ron's lap to kiss away the journey as the train made its way to Hogsmeade Station.

The train pulled into Hogsmeade station, Harry still had not come back. But just as Ron and Hermione were about to start looking for him, he appeared.

'Where the bloody hell have you been?' asked Ron.

'I'll tell you both later, I promise,' Harry said as he grabbed his carry-on bag containing his uniform and the three of them took a Thestral pulled carriage to alone. Hermione shielded her eyes as Harry changed before they arrived at the school gates to be searched by Mr Filch and Professor Flitwick. Then, once that was done, Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the Great Hall, at last.


	6. The Half Blood Prince

Chapter Six: The Half-Blood Prince

As they all took their seats in the Great Hall, Harry noticed there were girls still staring at him and he did not like it. Dumbledore invited everybody to eat before he gave out the start of term notices. Ron, who had worked up an appetite on the train as he had been snogging Hermione throughout the journey, piled an enormous amount of food onto his plate, as Hermione and Harry watched on shaking their heads in disbelief, wondering where on earth he put it all. Harry helped himself to extra helpings of Treacle Tart when the desserts arrived as per usual. After all, it was the only thing he ate more of than Ron.

Then when the Feast was over, Dumbledore stood and began to give out his notices to the students. Harry noticed that his right hand was still blackened before Dumbledore hid it up his sleeve, but not before both Ron and Hermione noticed it, too.

'I have a few announcements. First of all, I would like to introduce Professor Horace Slughorn, an old colleague of mine who has consented to take his old position of Potions Master. Which means that Professor Snape, meanwhile, takes over the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts.'

The trio were shocked having assumed that Slughorn was the new Defence teacher, but then Harry remembered never asking Dumbledore or Slughorn what he actually taught. Meanwhile, a round of applause had broken out at the Slytherin Table congratulating their Head of House on his new appointment. Snape was wearing a look of triumph as his House applauded, and to his surprise, Harry was applauding, too. This did come as a slight shock, but then again, there was nothing that could shock him anymore. After all, he had been shagging Narcissa every night for six weeks, and now they had had to change their schedule to the weekend, where he would be Flooing home on Friday evenings to spend most of the weekend in bed with her. She had an incredible libido that needed more than a quickie between the sheets to cure.

The Hall then listened to Dumbledore once more as he gave further warnings about Voldemort and why they had all been searched before dismissing them to their beds. Harry, Ron and Hermione remained in their seats as the rest of the Gryffindors filed out of the Great Hall.

'So, where did you go?' asked Ron.

'I listened in on Malfoy. I think he has definitely replaced his father as a Death Eater,' replied Harry.

'I doubt it, Harry. He's only sixteen, and why would Voldemort want a piece of slime like him?' said Hermione dubiously.

'Hermione, how many times do I have to say it? Voldemort doesn't care how old people are, whether it comes to killing them, or recruiting them. Remember, the first time he tried to kill me; I was only a year old. Also, Sirius told me about his younger brother; Regulus. He became a Death Eater at sixteen, too,' said Harry trying to be patient.

'Maybe you're right, mate. Unfortunately, we don't have any proof – short of getting him to roll up his sleeve,' said Ron. But then, all three of them remembered the time in Madam Malkin's and Malfoy rubbing his left arm as he walked out after his mother. The trio nodded at one another, before going up to Gryffindor Tower and their beds.

The following morning after breakfast, Professor McGonagall came around handing out their new timetables. Hermione and Ron had both been given their new classes and had gone to Ancient Runes, immediately. Professor McGonagall then gave Harry his timetable, asking why he was not proceeding with Potions.

'I thought you had to get an "Outstanding" on the O.W.L, Professor.'

'That was indeed the case while Professor Snape was teaching the class however, Professor Slughorn is perfectly happy to accept students with "Exceeds Expectations" on the O.W.L.'

'Oh, but I don't have the book or any ingredients …'

'No matter, there are usually spare books in the store cupboard you can borrow, Potter.'

'Right, okay. I'll let Ron know, too.'

'Of course, I shall inform Professor Slughorn and speak to Mr Weasley, also.'

Once their chat was over, Harry went to the Common Room and prepared for class, before meeting Ron and Hermione outside the classroom after their lesson, and he told Ron that they could take Potions. Ron shrugged but came along to Potions anyway. When they got there, they told Slughorn that neither of them had books or ingredients, but were quickly directed to the cupboard where spare books were kept. After a little scramble for the newer book, Harry had himself an old, tatty copy of Advanced Potion Making by Libatius Borage.

Slughorn then got the class' attention to the already made potions in the room, asking if anybody could identify them. As usual, Hermione raised her hand and identified each potion as Veritaserum, Polyjuice Potion, and Amortentia, respectively. The Amortentia potion emitted a most seductive scent. Harry could smell, Treacle Tart, the wood of a broomstick, and a flowery smell he associated with Ginny. He had smelled it on her all summer, after all. Ron could smell Chocolate, old parchment and Roses. He knew that he loved chocolate, of course, and old parchment and roses came from time in the Library with Hermione and the smell of her hair. Hermione could smell freshly mown grass, new parchment, and Ron's hair.

But then, they were all shaken out of their thoughts, when somebody spotted the fourth potion in the room. But once again, Hermione managed to identify it as Felix Felicis – or liquid luck, impressing Professor Slughorn immensely.

Then Slughorn challenged the class to make a potion called Draught of Living Death, and that the best potion would win a prize – a small vial of Felix Felicis.

Immediately, everybody set to work. Harry noticed a look of need on Draco Malfoy's face and hoped either he, Ron or Hermione would win the prize. However, when he opened his book to the correct page, he found that the recipe had been edited in ink with a few handy tips. So, with nothing for it, he tried the first tip he came to, and right there and then his annoyance that the previous owner had scrawled all over the book, vanished. So he continued to follow the tips as he went through the instructions. Hermione, meanwhile, could not believe how well Harry was doing and whispered a couple of the tips from his book to her, but she refused as they were not in her book. Ron was struggling too, and he looked over at Harry as if to say, 'I'm copying out those tips from your book as soon as I get my new copy.' Harry nodded to say that he understood and that was fine with him, none of which was seen by Hermione, as eventually Slughorn called that time was up, before he walked around to inspect their Cauldrons. Once he got to the table with the trio, he almost wretched at the contents of Ron's Cauldron, then he moved onto Hermione, who he said had done a fair job, but when he reached Harry, he immediately declared Harry the winner and gave him the prize, before dismissing the class. Hermione asked Harry how he did all that, he showed her the book and all the tips inside, and offered to make it all available to her if she wanted, but she declined saying it felt like cheating. But then Ginny overheard them, shocked that he was taking tips from a book. Hermione then performed a few spells on the book, but nothing happened. However, the book fell on the floor and Harry read the single line on the inside of the back cover.

'_This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince.'_

Later in the week, they had the first Defence class with Snape. He gave a somewhat interesting opening speech. You could tell as he gave his speech that he respected the Dark Arts to a point and he impressed upon the class that they too, should treat the Dark Arts with respect. Snape then began to teach the class about Non-verbal spells, calling upon Hermione, as only she knew the answer to his questions, and awarding her House points – much to the dismay of some of the Slytherins, including Malfoy. They then began to attempt to jinx one another Non-verbally. Hermione once again was the first to be able cast a perfect Non-verbal spell at Neville, whilst both Ron and Harry seemed to struggle, before eventually Ron managed it, but Harry was unable to block the spell Non-verbally, but Snape undid the jinx as he awarded both Ron and Hermione House Points for their work, before dismissing the class.

Once their homework was done, Ron and Hermione went on their evening patrol and as normal, they borrowed the Marauder's Map from Harry. They walked around the school holding hands as they patrolled the dark corridors with their wands lit, when suddenly they spotted Malfoy on the fifth floor, so using a shortcut, they caught Malfoy.

'Malfoy, can I ask what you are doing so very far away from your Common Room and your bed at this time of night?' asked Ron condescendingly.

'None of your business, Weasel, or yours, Mudblood,' replied Malfoy irritably.

'Tut, tut, Malfoy, you are out after curfew and disrespecting Prefects. Let's see, remember first year when you were docked fifty points for the same offence? Well, as it is five years later, one would think you would be familiar with the rules. However, this does not seem to be the case. So I think seventy-five points from Slytherin and a weekend in detention,' said Ron.

'Am I supposed to care what a Blood-traitor and a jumped up Mudblood think? You are nothing compared to me.'

'Oh, dear, I think another weekend in detention is in order. One weekend you can spend in the kitchen with the house-elves, helping to cook and clean without magic and the second weekend, you can clean the Owlery – also without magic. Now, why don't you go to bed before I get really nasty?'

'One day, Weasley, you and Granger are going to pay.'

'Is that a threat, Malfoy? Well, you do not scare us, so why don't you go forth and multiply?' said Hermione.

Malfoy, with no idea of what Hermione just said, sloped away with a glare at them.

'Love, what does that mean? "Go forth and multiply"?'

'That's for me to know and you to find out, so why don't we go to bed?'

'Yes, my lady,' said Ron before he scooped her up and carried her all the back to Gryffindor Tower and then to his bed.


	7. A Declaration of War

Chapter Seven: A Declaration of War

The trio's schedule though smaller, left almost no time for much else, particularly with Harry being made Quidditch Captain. He called trials for the second Saturday of term and found to his shock and later disgust, that there were over fifty hopefuls trying out for the team this year. Hermione had told him that it was not the team that so popular all over a sudden, but him. This made him particularly uncomfortable, but they also had other worries. Hagrid had stopped coming to meals. He was probably upset that his three favourite students had given up his subject. Ron thought that they had had a lucky escape from all the monsters he was bound to introduce them to, having not forgotten the Skrewts from their fourth year. So, they agreed that once the try-outs were over, they would go and see Hagrid to get him to cheer up and come to meals again.

When Hermione returned to the girl's dorm on the eve of the try-outs, she found Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil sitting on one of their beds. It was Lavender who spoke.

'Oh, there you are, Hermione. I've got something to tell you, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I want Ron. I like him and there's nothing you can do to stop me from taking him away from you. So, I suggest you give up now, and go and break up with him so I can have him without you being humiliated when he leaves you because I, and only I, can give him what he needs. You're far too perfect, prim and proper to take care of his needs and I am the most beautiful, and best equipped girl to see that Ron's needs are taken care of, do you understand?'

Hermione looked at Parvati as if to say, 'Is she for real?' Parvati just nodded with a look of disgust on her face.

'I understand, Lavender, but I won't be giving up Ron so a dizzy tart like you can make him miserable. I'm not afraid of competition, so do your best or worst – which amounts to the same thing,' said Hermione coolly.

'Big mistake, Hermione, because I am Lavender Brown and I always get what I want.'

Hermione laughed before leaving the dorm room to find Ginny, who she found in her room and asked her if they talk in private and so Ginny's roommates left.

'What's up, Hermione?'

'Lavender, she just told me that she fancies Ron and she's going to do all she can to take him from me. She's under the impression that I don't fulfil any of Ron's needs, if you know what I mean?' said Hermione.

'That little fucking slag, if she does anything … I don't think you have anything to worry about where Ron is concerned, because he worships you. But I do have to ask, have you done anything with my brother, but don't give me any details,' said Ginny.

Hermione smirked before she confessed. 'We've done stuff.'

'Stuff, such as?'

'Do you promise not to tell a soul?'

'I promise, just bloody spill, will you?'

'All right, Ron and I first made love on the twenty-fourth of June, at the end of fourth year. But on my fifteenth birthday, he kissed me _down there_ for the first time giving me my first orgasm. He did it to me a few more times on different occasions, before I returned the favour on his fifteenth birthday. We shared a bed when we stayed at Potter Manor before fourth year, but we didn't do anything then. While we were staying at Headquarters before last year, Ron and I would meet in the study after everybody would go to bed and we'd shag then, too. In fact, you name it I think we've done it.'

Ginny looked at her in total shock before finding her voice again.

'Bloody hell, what was it like? Did it hurt the first time?'

'Yeah, it always does for girls and it didn't help that Ron is huge.'

'AH! I did not need to know that!' Ginny exclaimed as she blocked her ears.

Hermione giggled at Ginny as she continued to look at Hermione in awe.

'But it's good, right?' asked Ginny.

'Oh, yes, it's wonderful. We take care of each other very nicely.'

'Wow. You should tell Ron what Lavender said to put him on his guard, though.'

'Oh, I will and I'm sure we'll have a good laugh and an even better shag afterwards,' Hermione giggled.

Ginny felt sick as she sent Hermione out of her room as she giggled at her.

When Hermione found Ron and told him, she was indeed proven correct as they did laugh and shag the night away in the Room of Requirement.

The next morning, the try-outs began as Harry weeded out those who were too young or not even in Gryffindor. Eventually Harry selected Ginny, Katie Bell, and a new find called Demelza Robbins, to be the Chasers, before the selection of the Beaters. The selected Beaters were Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote, who Harry and Ron both thought showed excellent potential, before ending the try-outs. Harry had decided that after Ron's amazing performances last year, there was no way he could replace him. After all, in two games Ron only conceded one goal, so keeping Ron was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, someone did not agree. Cormac McClaggen wanted to try-out again claiming he was better than he was last year. But Harry was having none of it and told him to 'Bugger off, before I hex you!'

Despite being hungry, the trio went to talk to Hagrid. After telling him that they could not find time to fit in his lesson into their timetables, he acquiesced, before telling them that his friend, Aragog, the Acromantula that Harry and Ron had met back in their second year, was dying. Once they had done everything they could to try to cheer him up, the four of them went to the Great Hall for lunch.


	8. Coming of Age

Chapter Eight: Coming of Age

Over the next couple of days, Lavender had attempted to flirt with Ron a few times. Ron had ignored it all having decided to play the "If You Ignore it, it'll Go Away" ploy. But Lavender did not seem to get the point as she attempted to touch Ron's arm to feel for his muscles. Harry, meanwhile, had other things on his plate. He had had his first private lesson with Dumbledore. In the lesson, Dumbledore had shown him memories he had collected over the years pertaining to Lord Voldemort. The first memory had been of the arrests of Marvolo Gaunt and his deranged son, Morfin. Also in that memory were Tom Riddle Senior and Merope Gaunt, Voldemort's parents. During the meeting, both Harry and Dumbledore could really only speculate as to how these two people who were so different could have fallen in love. Between them they came to the possible conclusion that Merope had used a love potion to ensnare her prey. Harry informed Ron and Hermione of all that he had learned in the lesson, but he had not found out how Dumbledore injured his hand. The other thing they had all spotted was that Dumbledore had been away from the school and a few parents were withdrawing their children in order to be together as the war was taking its toll on people.

Ron, however, was thinking about Hermione and her seventeenth birthday. This was because in the Wizarding World, wizards and witches reached maturity at seventeen and it was a big deal. Ron was hoping that Hermione would like the gifts he was going to give her, and he had planned a nice, private celebration for them, too. So, when he awoke on the nineteenth of September, he felt the usual excitement as he readied himself for the day. Once again it was unfortunate that it was a school day, but he had arranged with Dobby his plans for the evening. He had also arranged with Harry to borrow both the invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map so they did not get caught coming back from the Room of Requirement in the small hours. So, once lessons were over, Ron and Hermione went back to Gryffindor Tower to dump their bags, or in Ron's case, pick up a bag, and then together they walked to the Room of Requirement. Once they entered, they saw Dobby had prepared a table for them. Ron escorted Hermione to her seat and held out her chair and she gracefully sat down as he took his seat, too. As usual, they told their plate the food they wanted and began to eat. Ron could not keep his eyes off of her and nor she him. Once they shared dessert, they shared a slow romantic dance to one of Hermione's favourite muggle songs.

'I'm sure you've been wondering what I've got for you today?' he asked once the dance was over and had carried her over to the bed. They were now lying side by side.

'I have, but whatever it is, I know I'll love it because it's from you,' she said softly.

'All right, here's your first present, happy birthday, Hermione.'

Ron handed her nicely wrapped cube shaped gift. Hermione slowly and neatly removed the wrapping paper without ripping it to reveal a white box. She opened the box and found an old teddy bear inside.

'This was my favourite childhood toy. His name is Bob the Bear. I wanted to give you something of my past, do you like it?' he said softly.

'Oh, Ron, I love it, thank you,' she said with a tear running down her cheek. Ron caught the tear with a gentle thumb before handing her a second present. This was smaller than the first, but wrapped in the same way. Hermione opened this gift the same way she had the first to reveal a small box. She opened this box to find a watch. It was a witches' watch. It had twelve hands much like a wizard's watch.

'It's tradition to receive a watch when you come of age, but I'm sure you know that …' said Ron.

'I do and it's beautiful. Help me put in on?' she said softly.

Ron removed the muggle watch from her wrist to put on the new watch and fastened the clasp; the bracelet shrank to fit her wrist for the perfect fit.

'Thank you, Ron. I love you so much.'

'I love you too, Hermione. But I've got one more gift for you.'

'Oh Ron, you are spoiling me.'

'I don't care. You only turn seventeen once and I would be a really crap boyfriend if I didn't spoil you on this special day. Here.' He then handed her an even smaller neatly wrapped gift, which in true Hermione form was unwrapped without her tearing the paper. The box was the size of a ring box. With trembling hands she opened it.

'This is a promise ring, Hermione. A promise that one day I am going to ask you to marry me. Every Weasley male receives a set of rings for or before their seventeenth birthday. Inside is a family crest ring, which I'm already wearing. There's also a promise ring for your intended, an engagement ring – which can be charmed to have any real precious stone you choose, and a few others, if you know what I mean.' Ron showed Hermione his family ring. He was wearing it on his right ring finger. The crest was facing inwards towards him. 'When the family ring is worn like this, it means you belong to someone. I belong to _you_, Hermione, and I always will.'

The promise ring itself was silver, it had a small Sapphire and surround by smaller Rubies.

'Would you like me to put it on your finger?'

'Yes,' she whispered. She then held out her right hand and Ron slowly eased the ring on to her ring finger, the ring, like the watch bracelet had done earlier, magically adjusted itself to fit perfectly.

'It's beautiful,' she whispered, with tears running down her cheeks.

'Not as beautiful as you, Hermione Jean Granger. I take it your brilliant brain has worked out the connection between the gifts? If not, I'll tell you. The bear represents the past. The watch represents the present, and the ring represents the future. I love you, Hermione. I will always love you, my Goddess.'

He wiped away her tears gently and kissed her gently, a kiss she returned just as gently.

Hermione pulled away and said, 'Make love to me.'

Ron complied and they spent the rest of the evening slowly and gently making love, until the small hours and then, with the aid of the Map and the Cloak, walked back to Gryffindor Tower, where they fell asleep in each other's arms on the couch by the fire.

0o0

It was not only Lavender Brown that the trio was finding particularly irritating, the other thing were the constant invitations from Professor Slughorn to attend suppers in his office with a few select students. These select students consisted of the well-connected, like Cormac McClaggen, the smart and powerful, like Hermione, and the famous, like Harry. Harry, however, when he received such an invitation, called for a Quidditch practice on those evenings so he did not have to go. Hermione also blew off the invitations to watch the Quidditch practices to support Ron, who had not received any invitations from Slughorn. Whenever the Potions Master would ask Hermione why she could not attend, her response was a mixture of saying it was House Unity and supporting her boyfriend. But also, neither she nor Harry liked the way Slughorn ignored Ron and got his name wrong, too.

Ginny had noticed Hermione wearing her new ring and Hermione had told her what had happened on her birthday leaving Ginny wishing she had someone who would spoil her in the same way Ron had done for Hermione. But when her roommates asked about the ring, she merely told them it was a gift from her parents – which was a total lie, of course, but Hermione was sort of enjoying Lavender trying and failing to get Ron's attention. However, the message was not sinking into the blond girl's head that Ron was not interested, but it made her more determined. Lavender's thinking was that Ron was playing hard to get, or he had not had the time to finish with Hermione for her. This was something that Ron and Hermione both laughed about when they were alone together.


	9. In Hogsmeade

Chapter Nine: In Hogsmeade

When they entered October, a notice appeared telling everyone that a Hogsmeade weekend had been scheduled for middle of the month. The trio noticed that Neville had been down as of late. So, being the good friends they were, they asked him about it.

'Hey, Neville, what's got you down, mate?' asked Ron.

'If I tell you, can you keep it a secret?' replied Neville.

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded.

'Well, um, have you noticed who my usual partner is in Herbology?'

They had. It was Hannah Abbott. She had recently left the school having been informed that her mother had been found dead, and she had not been seen since.

'Oh, Neville, do you like her?' asked Hermione.

Neville went red and nodded. 'I miss her. I was planning on asking her to Hogsmeade, but …'

'I'm sorry, Neville,' said Hermione.

'Why don't you write to her? Tell her that you're missing her in Herbology, and give her your condolences. Tell her that you're thinking about her and that you hope she can come back soon,' said Ron.

Harry, Hermione and Neville looked at Ron as though he had grown an extra head.

'What? You don't think I think it might be that Hermione that might have to leave if something happened to one or both of her parents? Thankfully, it hasn't happened, but I want to be prepared in case it does,' said Ron.

Neville looked at Ron and thought he had a good point as Hermione looked touched at her boyfriend's thoughtfulness, so Neville decided to take Ron's advice and began to write to Hannah and the trio left him to it.

When the day for Hogsmeade finally arrived, all three of them were tempted to stay in the castle as it was freezing cold outside. But having already arranged to meet Sirius, they wrapped up in the warmest clothing they possessed and left the castle. They had been searched by Filch as they left and walked down the path to the village. Ron and Hermione were walking side by side with an arm each around the other. On the way they saw Mundungus Fletcher, a sneak thief that they had met the summer before fifth year at Grimmauld Place. He was selling silver goblets he had pilfered from Sirius' house, and when Harry recognised it, Fletcher quickly told Harry that Sirius had let him take it all. They saw Tonks as they walked further into the village. Her hair was a mousy brown colour and she was not her usual cheery self. They asked her if she wanted to join them, but she declined saying she was there in an official capacity, and left them to visit a few shops. Once they shopped enough, Hermione had bought some Sugar Quills, they went to the Three Broomsticks, where it was wonderfully warm inside. But then they were met by Professor Slughorn, who asked after both Harry and Hermione, once more.

Harry told him he had been busy with homework and Quidditch. Slughorn once again ignored Ron as he walked away disappointed, having asked Harry and Hermione about a supper he was hosting this Monday evening. This time, however, Harry had an appointment with Dumbledore that evening, and Hermione declined once again with the excuse of having too much homework. Though she was tempted to tell Slughorn the truth, but decided against it. Ten minutes later, Sirius arrived and joined them in a Butterbeer or two. He had bought Amelia with him as she had arranged to meet with her niece in the village, too. The six of them sat for a couple of pleasant hours and talked and drank away the cold and horrible weather, agreeing not to talk about the disappearances and deaths that were happening.

Once it was time to go back the castle, the trio and Susan walked back together. However, they could hear an argument between a girl Harry recognised as Katie Bell and a friend of hers.

'It's got nothing to do with you, Leanne!' they heard Katie shout.

They could see that Katie was carrying a package, but as they fought over it, the wrapping tore and Katie touched the contents with only a slightest touch of her gloved hand before she screamed and rose into the air and then fell to the floor as Ron and Harry tried to catch her. Katie's friend was frantic and tearful and Hermione and Susan tried to calm her down. Ron moved to inspect the item, but Harry recognised it from when he had Flooed into Borgin and Burke's by accident before his second year. It was a necklace, and there had been a warning note saying it was cursed and claimed the lives several muggles. Harry told Ron not to touch it, but took off his scarf and wrapped the necklace inside. He then ran to find help and found it in the shape of Hagrid, who carried Katie back to the school and the Hospital Wing.

Harry carried the cursed necklace as he, Ron, Hermione, Susan and Leanne followed Professor McGonagall to her office. Having tried to ask Leanne what happened, Professor McGonagall asked Susan to take her to the Hospital Wing for shock as the poor girl had wept her through her story of events. One thing that had been said that it appeared that Katie had been under the Imperius Curse at the time and that she did not have the necklace before Katie and Leanne went to the Three Broomsticks. Harry had only one theory; Malfoy. However, he chose not to confide his suspicions to his Head of House, as she had in the past pooh-poohed his theories, and so he decided to inform the Headmaster when he met with him on Monday evening. The Transfiguration Professor dismissed the trio from her office and they went back to the Tower, and it was there he discussed his theory with Ron and Hermione, having cast the Muffliato spell first. Hermione was not pleased that Harry had used this spell. He had found it scrawled in the corner of one the pages in his potions book, with a few others. Hermione objected to these spells that they were not Ministry approved, but Harry scoffed at her by asking who it was who finished the work on some his mother's self-invented spells at Grimmauld Place before fifth year. She had no answer except to say that she had only done it because she was bored and not allowed in the Black Family Library. This made both Harry and Ron laugh and Hermione to pout.

'I think Malfoy gave her that necklace,' said Harry.

'We don't know if Malfoy was even in Hogsmeade today, Harry,' said Hermione.

'Well, that's true, but I know he saw it in Borgin and Burke's years ago and maybe he went back for it,' replied Harry.

'Why didn't you say any of this to Professor McGonagall?' asked Hermione.

'That's easy. Remember first year? When we told her about the Philosopher's Stone? She didn't believe us, did she?' said Ron.

'Oh, that's right. I guess I forgot. I take it, however, that you are going to run your theory past Professor Dumbledore, on Monday evening?' asked Hermione.

'Yep, he'll take me seriously, but will probably tell me I have no proof, but I think he should know anyway.'

'I agree. Now, why don't we go down to the kitchen for some food for the evening, because I can't be bothered with dinner later on if we're going to be catching up on our homework,' said Ron.

Harry and Hermione agreed with Ron and so they did exactly that before going to bed after what felt like an extremely long day.

The following day, the trio went to the Room of Requirement and spent the entire day in their Animagus forms to help with enhancing their senses while in their human forms. Sirius had told them it would take several full days in their forms to achieve this and so that was why they did it. They had only done it a few times since mastering the transformation. This was due to the fact that they only mastered it in the last two days of term and had not been able to do it at all over the summer as Harry had been in his depressed mood. So, they had in total, so far, been able to do this twice before now, but with it being Monday the next day, they walked back to Gryffindor Tower in pairs under the invisibility cloak and using the Marauder's Map, after midnight.


	10. The After Party

Chapter Ten: The After Party

The news of Katie's "accident" had spread through the school and she had been taken to St Mungo's Hospital for further treatment. Harry had been informed of this by Dumbledore during their meeting. Harry confided his suspicions to Dumbledore, and as Harry suspected, without any real proof, Dumbledore could not take any action. During this meeting, Dumbledore showed Harry another memory. This one was of a young Tom Riddle before he started Hogwarts. The boy had been living in an orphanage all his life and he was alone and friendless. There were stories that he scares the other children and when Dumbledore met with the boy, Harry felt as though he had something in common with him. However, Tom Riddle was a thief and a bully, nothing more. Tom Riddle was secretive, sly and self-sufficient. But of course, there was no way that Dumbledore could have known back then what he was going to become.

Harry, as usual, told Ron and Hermione what Dumbledore had told him. Ron and Hermione thought it was fascinating finding out about Voldemort's secret past and to see if any weaknesses could be found.

But then Ron reminded him about Quidditch and the unlikely event that Katie would return in time for the game against Slytherin. Unfortunately for Harry the first reserve was Dean Thomas, Ginny's boyfriend. There were a couple of reasons that he did not want Dean in the team. One; he would not be able to cast the sly looks at Ginny anymore. Two; it was likely to upset Seamus Finnigan, who had not been his usual self all year, even further. But Dean had out-flown Seamus at the try-outs. Harry found himself approaching Dean in the Common Room and asking him if he was still interested in playing Chaser.

'Yeah, of course I am,' said Dean.

'All right, there's practice tonight, see you then,' Harry told him.

'Great, I can't wait to tell Ginny!' said Dean as walked away.

The practice that night went well as Dean worked well with Demelza and Ginny. In fact the whole team was settling nicely and Harry felt confident of beating Slytherin.

Well, that was until two days before the match. Ginny had come back to the Common Room looking angry and upset. She came and sat down next to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

'What's wrong, Ginny?' asked Hermione.

'I just had an argument with Dean,' replied Ginny.

'Do you want me to have a word?' offered Ron.

'I can take care of myself, Ron.'

'I know you can, but you are my favourite sister and it's in the job description of big brother to look out for you,' said Ron softly as he pulled her into a hug.

Ginny snorted and said, 'I'm your only sister, but I appreciate that you care though, thanks.'

'All right, but if you change your mind you know where to find me.'

'Oh, and I've got bad news for you, Harry, and you, Hermione. Professor Slughorn is going to be throwing a Christmas party and is determined to get you to attend,' said Ginny.

The trio groaned, somehow they knew might not be able to get out of it. Well, unless they all got detention, but that plan was quickly vetoed by Hermione, but then Ginny said, 'We're allowed to bring guests, if we want to, so if you both get the almost inevitable invitation, then you'll have to find someone to take, won't you?'

This still made the trio groan as Ginny went off to do her homework.

The day of the first Quidditch match of the season had arrived and neither Harry nor Ron were nervous. The Beaters, Peakes and Coote, had improved immensely and Dean and Ginny appeared to have put their argument behind them for the good of team and had knuckled down to work even better with Demelza.

Their confidence was further boosted when they heard that Malfoy had gone off sick and Vaisey, their best Chaser had been injured a couple of days previously.

Once breakfast had been eaten, Hermione escorted Ron and Harry to the changing rooms. She gave Ron his usual good luck kiss before the boys went to change. Once changed, both Harry and Ron grabbed their Firebolts and then the team went out onto the pitch. When he got to the hoops, Ron did his usual pre-match ritual of picturing Hermione in his mind's eye and saying her name to himself a few times before Madam Hooch released the Bludgers, Golden Snitch and finally, the Quaffle to begin the game.

The voice that echoed around the stadium was familiar, so Ron cast a look to the commentator's podium, and there was Zacharias Smith, a Hufflepuff chaser, he could not stand. Ron listened to his words as the boy started saying that he and Ginny were only in the team because they were friends with Harry. However, after making some good saves, and Ginny having scored half a dozen goals, Smith started on Peakes and Coote, instead. Ron was sure he heard Harry tell one of them to aim a Bludger at him to shut him up and do everyone a favour. Gryffindor were leading by one hundred and fifty points to zero, as Ron spotted Harry flying after Malfoy's replacement, Harper, to catch the snitch. When the snitch was caught, the crowd cheered as Gryffindor were declared victorious as Harry had caught the snitch quite brilliantly, but for Ron, the satisfaction of his second clean sheet in three games as Gryffindor Keeper felt amazing and he could not wait to celebrate with the team, and more importantly, Hermione.

Once showered and changed, Ron and Harry went back to Gryffindor Tower, where the party was already in progress. Harry grabbed a Butterbeer and started to drink, while Ron grabbed a Hermione Granger and began to kiss her like there was no tomorrow. Seamus switched on some music and people began dancing wildly as the food and Butterbeer was being consumed. Ron and Hermione began to dance a slow dance, completely ignoring the song being played and Lavender Brown who had been watching them since Ron arrived.

'Is she still staring?' Ron whispered into her ear.

'Yes. But I've got bad news.'

'Bad news, eh, as long as it's not that she's coming over as you have to go to the ladies', I'll be fine,' he replied as he held her more firmly.

'Sorry, Ron, but that's exactly the bad news. Are you sure you aren't a seer?'

'I was joking! If you're going, I'm going with you.'

Hermione giggled at him before she gave him another kiss and then she excused herself.

'Hey, Ron,' said a voice that Ron immediately recognised as Lavender's.

He cringed before turning around to face her.

'Hello, Lavender, are you enjoying the party?' he asked, being polite.

'Oh, yes, I am now,' she said with a giggle.

Hermione's giggle, to him, sounded like beautiful music. This giggle made him feel ill.

'You were amazing today, Ron,' she said flirtatiously.

'Oh, thanks, but really I only did my best. The Chasers and Harry won us the game. Besides, I only play this well because I have Hermione by my side, giving me all her love and support.'

'That's nice, but I think you can do better than _her_, Ron,' said Lavender coyly.

Ron was angry. _'How dare she slag off my Hermione?'_ he thought. Of course Lavender had no idea that she had pissed him off and so she kept smiling at him.

He looked over Lavender's shoulder. There was Hermione, so he waved her over. When she reached him, he pulled her into his arms as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Hermione could tell immediately that Ron was angry about something, but she could feel him calming down a little.

'I'm sorry, Lavender, but could you repeat that?' said Ron.

'I think you can do better than _her_,' Lavender hissed.

'Well, I disagree. I am in love with Hermione. If you don't believe me, I suggest you look at Hermione's right ring finger. Because on her right ring finger, is a promise ring to Hermione from me. I take it you know what a promise ring is, or are you too blind or stupid not to recognise it?' he said harshly.

Lavender was starting to look tearful. Ron, however, was having none of it.

'Don't bother to start crying. I don't want to break up with Hermione. I plan to marry her one day. I don't want to go out with you, when I already have a Goddess like Hermione who has performed spells you can't even think of, and made potions you couldn't make on your best day. Hermione Granger is the most beautiful girl in the world and the brightest witch of the age, you cannot compete with that, in fact; no girl can. I belong to Hermione, end of story. Now, please leave us alone!'

Their conversation had been heard by everybody in the Common Room. Lavender was humiliated and she did the only thing she could, she burst into tears and ran out of the portrait hole. Parvati quickly went after her.

'That was pretty harsh, Ron,' said Seamus.

'I had no choice, Seamus. She's been bugging me since the start of term, and she actually had the gall to tell Hermione to her face that she was going to try whatever it took to break us up and have me for herself,' replied Ron.

'She seemed to genuinely like you, though. You could have tried to let her down gently,' Seamus said.

'Seamus, you know her better than I do. Do you really believe that she would've taken a gentle let down seriously?'

Seamus knew the answer, but he did not want to give it. Seamus' silence was answer enough for Ron, and so he said, 'If you care about her that much, why don't you ask her out?'

'Fat chance,' began Seamus flatly, 'I can't compete with Harry Potter's right hand man, or the Gryffindor Keeper, or the Prefect, or the recipient of a Special Services to the School Award. I planned on asking her out at the start of the year, but it was obvious she only had eyes for you.'

'I'm sorry, mate, but here's an idea, though. Why don't you go and find her and be a shoulder for her to cry on, that way she'll know how much you care about her, and maybe she'll come to her senses and sees the great bloke you are and goes out with you instead,' said Ron.

Seamus suddenly realised Ron was right and he ran to go and find her. Ron then turned to Hermione, and together they to the boy's dorm where they kissed away the night, before falling asleep.


	11. Invitations

Chapter Eleven: Invitations

Seamus did not have to look too hard to find Lavender and Parvati. In fact, he found them in the first, and consequentially, the last place he looked. Lavender was crying into Parvati's shoulder as she held her. Seamus sat behind Lavender and rubbed her back gently to calm her down, and it was working. Lavender turned from her friend's shoulder to look at him. She smiled at him as did Parvati.

'Please don't cry, Lav,' he said.

'What do you expect me to do?' she replied tearfully.

'To realise you made a mistake. You went after someone completely unattainable and you humiliated yourself in public. Could you not see that they are meant to be together? If an ignorant git like me can see it, how could you, the undisputed Queen of Gossip, not see it? Did you hear what he called her? He called her a _Goddess_. He feckin' worships the ground she walks on, Lav. They've been together for over two years, and you tried to come between them. Why?'

Lavender looked at him with a cold look, and said, 'I wanted someone brave to take care of me, someone who could make me feel safe. I thought that person could be Ron, I mean who better than Harry Potter's best friend?'

'He's taken, though. You don't know him, you could never know him like Hermione does. He could never know you like he knows Hermione because he loves her. He could never know you like _I do_!'

'Seamus, what are you trying say?'

'I'm sayin' that this year I promised meself I would tell you how I felt about you. But then I saw that you only had eyes for Ron Weasley, Harry Potter's right hand man, the Gryffindor Keeper, the Prefect, and all that other shite … How the feck could I compete with that? I've liked you fer ages. We went to the Yule Ball as friends, and we kissed when it was over. Last year, we were friends with occasional benefits, and it was then I realised I wanted more from you. I want _all_ of you – to meself. But when I found out you were going after Ron, I was gutted, Lav. If you want someone to keep you safe and make you feel loved, you've got _me_. Okay, I'm not Ron Weasley or Harry Potter. I'm Seamus Finnigan, the bloke who spent the first year blowin' stuff up during lessons, nothing more. If that's not enough for you, then you let me know now. Break my heart clean, Lavender.'

'Oh, Seamus, I'm so sorry. I've been such a fool, haven't I? But he could've let me down gently, instead of, well, that …'

'Would you have listened?' he asked gently.

'No … probably not,' she whispered.

He looked into her blue eyes with his brown ones, before he pulled her into soft kiss. When they stopped, he rested his forehead against hers and said, 'I'm crazy about you, please be my girlfriend?'

'Oh, Seamus …' she said before she kissed again as Parvati left them to re-join the party.

Meanwhile, Ginny had taken Dean aside and led him away from the party and into an empty classroom.

'Dean, we need to talk.'

'We do?'

'Yes, because I can't go out with you anymore. I'm not in love with you and I don't think I ever will be, and to string you along would be wrong and completely unfair to both of us. I'm sorry,' she said gently.

'Ginny … I … don't know what to say. I guess I should've known. I'm not Harry Potter, am I?'

'No. I'm so sorry, Dean. You're nice and everything, but …'

'I know,' said Dean.

'Can we still be friends?'

'Yeah, I don't see why not, c'mere,' he said before he pulled her into a friendly hug. When he let her go and said, 'Good luck with Harry; I hope he comes to his senses soon.'

Ginny chuckled and said, 'Yeah, me too,' before she left to go back to the party with Dean a few steps behind.

Severus Snape, meanwhile, was most aggrieved at having to sit through the worst performance from a Slytherin Quidditch Team that he could remember. Instead of having to watch that _crap_, he could and should have been at home where he had left Narcissa in his bed asleep. He should have been there pleasuring her and having her pleasuring him. But no, he had had to endure that … He arrived back in Spinner's End and then entered his house and made his way upstairs to see if she was still asleep. He opened the door to find that she was awake.

'How was the match?' she asked.

'A complete and utter fiasco, I cannot _believe_ that I left you _naked in my bed to watch that crap_. We lost three hundred points to zero, Narcissa,' he replied.

'Merlin, that's dreadful. Now, why don't you come over here and we can make up for lost time?'

Snape undressed before he joined her in the bed to shag away the rest of the weekend.

0o0

November had begun and the trio were once again busy with lessons, homework and the occasional trip to the Room of Requirement to enhance their animals' senses in human form. December arrived and with it, snowy weather and an invitation to Professor Slughorn's Christmas Party for Harry and Hermione. Ron had not so much been looked at by the Potions Master, despite the improvement in his own potion making. He had copied the notes from the Half-Blood Prince's book in to his own new book, once it had arrived from Flourish and Blott's, along with Harry's. Harry had swapped the covers over, and given back the new book.

Ron did not care that Slughorn ignored him, but Hermione and Harry were livid. It seemed that Slughorn assumed that Ron's improvement was because he was being tutored by either Harry or Hermione, but this was not the case, because Ron was, to some extent, doing it all by himself. Ron had had to restrain Hermione from going to give the Potions Master a piece of her mind on several occasions in the last two months. So, when the invitations arrived, both Harry and Hermione were sorely tempted to throw their invitations onto the fire in the Gryffindor Common Room, but instead they realised that they could not get out of going to the stupid Christmas Party.

Hermione invited Ron to go with her. Harry, meanwhile, had not invited anyone yet. Hermione had told him to get a move on and invite someone because she had overheard girls talking about him and how they would get him to invite them to the Christmas party. She warned him about the possibility of being slipped a love potion, but unfortunately, Hermione had not been able to confiscate them because the girls did not actually have them on their person. Instead, the three of them joked about a possible secret relationship between Filch and Madam Pince, the Librarian. To get him to invite her, one girl, by the name of Romilda Vane, had already given him a gift of chocolate cauldrons, but Harry had simply thrown them into his trunk and forgotten about them.

Eventually, Harry invited Luna Lovegood. He had not seen or spoken to her much this year and found that he had missed her unusual outlook on life and her crazy creatures that she liked to talk about, too.


	12. The Christmas Party

Chapter Twelve: The Christmas Party

The final lessons of the year were over, and plans for Christmas had been made. Harry was going to Black Cottage to be with Sirius, Amelia and Susan. Ron was going to spread his holiday between the Burrow and Hermione's parent's house. The plan for Christmas day was simple. He would spend the morning at her parent's house, and the afternoon and evening at the Burrow. His mother was not too pleased at how Ron was dividing his time, but his father understood. Harry, Sirius and Co, would be joining them for Christmas dinner, too.

But right now, Harry and Ron were getting ready for Slughorn's Christmas party. They had shaved and showered and had now finished putting on their Dress Robes. Making sure they were presentable, they then made their way downstairs to wait for Hermione. Fortunately, she did not take too long as she came downstairs just a few minutes after them. She was wearing a beautiful black dress that had straps, showed some, but not too much cleavage and its hem dropped to her knees. Ron wondered where she kept her wand whilst wearing such a dress.

'You are so beautiful, Hermione,' he said once she reached him.

Despite having been told by Ron on a regular basis that was beautiful, she still blushed.

'Thank you. You look very handsome, Ron,' she said.

'Thanks, so shall we?' he said as he offered her his arm. Hermione smiled and slipped her arm through his and together they made their to Slughorn's office as Harry went to meet Luna.

The four met up just outside Slughorn's office. Ron and Hermione had dawdled somewhat, as every so often, Ron would stop, push her up against the wall and snog her breathless, and then begin walking again. They knocked on the door and were allowed admittance.

'Harry, m'boy, how are you?' said Slughorn jovially.

'Fine, thank you, Professor,' he replied.

'Miss Granger, nice to have you here, too,' said Slughorn.

'Thank you,' she replied.

'Now, why don't you all mingle, I'm sure I'll find you later …' he said before walking away.

Ron scowled slightly and said, 'Luna and I must be suffering from a slight case of invisibility, the bloody ignorant git.'

Luna smiled and neither Hermione nor Harry disagreed with him.

The four of them quickly found the punch and Ron poured a glass for Hermione and then himself as Harry did the same for Luna. They then walked around the party. They spotted Ginny with Dean, whom she had invited as friends, Cormac McClaggen, and a few famous people like Gwenog Jones and Eldred Worple, the author of _My Life Amongst the Vampires_. It appeared as though Worple had actually brought a vampire with him. Ron pointed him out as he did not like the hungry look on its face as it looked at a few young girls. Harry took the time to talk to Worple about a book about his life, but Harry politely declined. Unfortunately, Harry then realised who Luna was talking to; Professor Trelawney. Harry not missed being a subject in her classes, but listened on as Luna and she talked about magical creatures.

But then Filch appeared hauling Draco Malfoy about by the ear and informing Slughorn that he had caught him walking around the castle without permission. Draco told the Potions Master that he wanted to gate-crash, and Slughorn accepted his excuse. Ron and Hermione had also watched the exchange and then the brief conversation between them, before Snape, who had also been invited, escorted Malfoy outside and possibly back to the Slytherin Common Room. Harry, acting on a hunch, followed them under his invisibility cloak.

'I'm bored, Hermione,' said Ron.

'Yes, it is rather dull. I'm almost ready to go,' she admitted.

'You noticed that Harry slipped away?'

'Yes. Ron, why don't we have a dance?'

'Nobody else is dancing,' he said.

'Since when does that stop us?' she said with a giggle.

'True, c'mon, love,' he said as he gently took her by the hand.

They found an empty section of the room and began to dance slowly. Hermione closed her eyes as they moved together. Unfortunately, the most romantic part of their night so far, was interrupted by Slughorn. 'Enjoying a dance, I see?' he asked.

'Oh yes, we enjoy a dance together, don't we?' said Ron.

'We certainly do,' Hermione replied without looking at Slughorn, but then she turned to him and said, 'Please allow me to introduce my boyfriend. This is Ron Weasley. He's a Prefect and the Keeper for Gryffindor.'

'Really, Miss Granger?' said Slughorn, 'No offence, but I assumed that you and Mr Potter were –'

'Oh, no, Professor, Harry is like my brother,' Hermione interrupted.

'I see. It's just that I've heard that the two of you have been on a fair few adventures together …'

'What have you heard or indeed read, Professor? That Harry is some tragic hero and I'm his sidekick and or damsel in distress?'

'Well,' began Slughorn uncomfortably, 'I heard that you and Mr Potter had saved the school on at least two occasions, and that you managed to clear Sirius Black's name.'

'Oh, well, that is true, adventures were had. But you don't know all of the facts.'

'Have I been misled? I thought that you and Mr Potter were some kind of "Golden Duo".'

'"_Golden Duo"_?' Hermione scoffed. 'No, Professor. We are not "Golden", or, indeed, a "Duo". We are a team of three, and we each bring something to the table, so to speak.'

'Three? Well, I apologise for being so misinformed. Who is this third person?'

Hermione struggled not to roll her eyes but said, 'Ron, of course. The three of us have been friends for over five years and together, we saved the Philosopher's Stone from a traitorous teacher, we saved the school from closure by solving the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets. And it was Ron, who not only sacrificed himself in a life-sized game of Wizard's Chess, went with Harry into the Chamber of Secrets – despite having a broken wand which made him practically defenceless, who cleared Sirius' name. If I might speak freely, Professor, I have not appreciated your treatment of Ron – at all. Ignoring him in class, not knowing his name, not acknowledging his improvement in the class – which he achieved by himself. This is why both Harry and I have been most reluctant to attend your gatherings. We are a team. Harry leads with his nerve and courage, I help with my knowledge, and Ron is our planner and strategist, and he is every bit as brave as Harry and as smart as me, and yet people like you, Professor, overlook him. I am not going to allow this to continue from anyone. I won't allow the man I love to be made to feel insignificant by anybody. I mean no disrespect, but I have had enough of people who think I should be with Harry. I sincerely hope you are no longer part of a group of so many foolish and deluded people who think in that mind-set. I belong to Ron and he belongs to me. Anyway, that is all I have to say, so I think it's time we left, unless you wish to apologise to Ron for hurting his feelings, and maybe get to know him?'

Professor Slughorn looked at the pair, and he saw how they looked at each other and said, 'Miss Granger, Mr Weasley, I apologise to you both for any offence, or hurt, I have caused. As a matter of fact, I would like to get to know you, Mr Weasley. Perhaps we could have a game of Wizard's Chess?'

'I would like that, Professor Slughorn, thank you very much. But I should warn you, the summer before last, I defeated Professor Dumbledore.'

Slughorn paled at that, but said, 'Did you really? I have never heard of anybody beating Albus at chess; please do tell me more, m'boy …'

With that, Ron and Slughorn started talking Wizard's Chess, and as Hermione listened, she could not help feel pleased that Ron no longer felt so small in comparison to her and Harry. It was as she said; they were a team – an equal partnership. After it started to get late, and Harry had long returned to the party, but had gotten bored and gone back to Gryffindor Tower, Ron and Hermione left the party to go to bed.


	13. Figured It Out

_**A/N: WARNING. This chapter contains some Non-sexual, but consensual CP, if this is not your thing, I suggest you hit the back button now. However, it is Ron and Hermione, the One True Pairing. If you are proceeding, you have been warned. Enjoy.**_

Chapter Thirteen: Figured It Out

Ron and Hermione were walking back form Slughorn's office, when Ron pushed Hermione up against the wall and snogged her long and hard as his hand went under her dress and he stroked her through her knickers.

'Oh, Ron,' she moaned as he began kissing her neck.

'Hermione …' he whispered, 'I want you … Room of Requirement … Now.'

'Yes …'

Ron stopped and swept her off her feet and began to carry her bridal style to the Room of Requirement. When they reached their destination, Ron kept her in his arms as he walked past the door three times. The door appeared and he carried her inside. He set her down and stopped to think for a moment and a bag appeared; a bag he gave to Hermione.

'What's this?' she asked.

'For you to change into,' he answered.

She made to peek inside but Ron stopped her. 'No peeking. Let's just say you'll figure it out, just as I have.'

'What have you figured out?'

'I figured out what "go forth and multiply" means.'

'Oh, I see,' she said knowing she was in trouble.

'Yes, very clever that one, _Miss Granger_, telling someone to go fuck themselves without actually swearing and getting away with it – until now, because _Miss Granger_ is going to be punished for her naughty indiscretion. So you need to change into what's in the bag.'

'When did you figure it out?' she asked with a small smile.

'A fortnight ago, and this punishment is detention with me. There will be no safe word for you; it'll go on until I say. Now go and change.'

Hermione, excited and turned on, ran into the other room to change as Ron took off his robe and tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt. He was excited too. They had been discussing ways to make sex more exciting and Hermione had come up with Role-playing. They had discussed it at length and devised rules for it, including a safe word. This was a partial role-play as they would be themselves and their characters. Well, Hermione would be in character, he would be himself, somewhat. He sat down in a chair and waited for her to emerge.

When she did, she was wearing a school uniform. The difference was that her skirt was shorter. It exposed more soft and silky thigh to him. She was dressed in a white shirt with a Gryffindor tie and a pair of knee socks, she was still wearing her shoes from the night. She looked so sexy that Ron almost forgot what they were meant be doing.

'Miss Granger, come here,' he said in his commanding voice.

Hermione obeyed and stood in front of him with her hands behind her back and looking at the floor.

'You have been very naughty and you are going to be punished. I think this punishment requires more than the usual lines. I think you deserve a spanking.'

'Please, Sir, no, don't,' Hermione said meekly.

'Miss Granger, you don't speak unless you are spoken to, do you understand?'

'Yes, Sir, sorry, Sir,' she said as she could feel herself getting wetter.

'Right, over my knee, Miss Granger,' he said.

'But, Sir, this sort of thing isn't allowed,' she said.

'It's either a spanking or I'll have your Prefect badge, make your choice, Miss Granger …' said Ron.

Hermione complied by lying across his lap, but she put her hands over her arse to stop him. Ron, however, moved her hands out of the way by pushing them up behind her back and bound them. He lifted her skirt and saw not only where she kept her wand, and was wearing knickers of black lace. He slipped her wand from the waist band of her knickers before saying, 'Tut, tut, Miss Granger. These flimsy knickers are not regulation and your skirt is too short, I will have to add these indiscretions to your punishment, which means I will have to use more than just my hand.'

Ron paused long enough for their eyes to meet. They had discussed all kinds of kinky stuff and Ron had brought up using other objects on one another. Ron had been given the idea unintentionally by Sirius as he had threatened to punish Malfoy, that day in Madam Malkin's shop. Hermione gave him a little nod and Ron understood.

He pulled down her knickers to her knees and began to bring his right hand down onto her arse very hard. The sounds of his hand meeting her backside and her cries filled the room as the fantasy played out.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

'OWWWW!' she cried.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

'OWWWW!' she cried again.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

'OWWWWWWW – PLEASE!' she howled.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

'OWWWWWWW, PLEASE STOP, SIR!' she begged as her arse was getting redder and hotter.

'We haven't even started, Miss Granger. There is still the hairbrush to come,' Ron said harshly.

'No, please, not the hairbrush,' she sobbed.

Ron had used it before to experiment how much more it would hurt, and it did hurt more.

Hermione's arse was red now. She still felt turned on by Ron's commanding voice and the spanking as her arse really stung. Ron continued to spank her for another five minutes until he asked the Room for a wooden hairbrush, which appeared on the desk. He stopped and picked it up. He ran the smooth wood across her red and stinging arse cheeks to tell her what was next.

'Please, Sir, please don't use that brush. I'll be good, I promise. I'll be a good girl,' Hermione pleaded.

The fact she was still calling him 'Sir', told him that she was up for the next part.

Ron began to use the brush on her arse and the sounds of the brush hitting Hermione's arse and her cries filled the room.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

'OWWWWWWWWPLEASE, SIR, IT HURTS!' she cried as tears poured out of her eyes.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

'OWWWWWWWWPLEASE NO MORE, SIR!' she cried.

'Now for your little thighs, Miss Granger,' said Ron.

'No, please, Sir, not there,' she pleaded.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

'OWWWWWWPLEASE, IT HURTS, IT HURTS, SIR!'

Ron brought the brush down on her thighs. He hit the area right under her arse cheeks as he alternated between each thigh and Hermione sobbed and cried out in pain.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

'OWWWWWWWPLEASE NO MORE, SIR!' she cried again and despite the pain she was still desperately turned on and wanted him to fuck her.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

'OWWWWWWWWPLEASE, SIR!' she cried as she sobbed.

She was worried that she might never sit again. Then again, it was Ron, and she trusted him to take care of her when it was over. Ron continued for another five minutes until he felt enough was enough. He stood her up and walked her over to the corner of the room. He pushed her nose right into the corner and said, 'You didn't like that, did you, Miss Granger?'

'No, Sir,' she sobbed.

'Are you going to be a bad girl anymore?' he whispered huskily.

'No, Sir. I'm going to be a good girl, a good girl for you, Sir.'

Ron lifted her skirt again.

'Miss Granger, where are your knickers?'

'I don't know, Sir.'

Ron looked around and he found them on the floor.

'It appears that they have fallen off, you must have kicked them off as I punished you.'

'Yes, Sir, I'm sorry, Sir.'

'Well, they are now mine. Just like you, Miss Granger.'

He pulled out of the corner and then walked her over to the middle of the room and forced her to knees before tearing open her shirt to reveal a matching bra.

'I've got a problem and you're going to take of it, Hermione …' said Ron before he undid his trousers and took his throbbing member and thrust it into Hermione's mouth.

Ron then began to fuck his girlfriend's mouth as he grabbed her by the hair as she still had her hands tied behind her back.

'Mm, Hermione, yes suck my cock …' he said huskily as he thrust into her mouth while she got wetter for him.

'You like sucking my cock, don't you, Hermione …?' he asked.

He received a throaty 'MMM,' as a reply before he blew his load into her mouth and growled her name.

Ron then stood her up and walked her over to the bed and laid her down upon it before turning her over so she was face down instead.

Before she could speak, he untied her hands and placed them beside her head. He took off her shoes and knee socks. Then he began to kiss the back of her thighs where he had used the brush. He was so gentle that Hermione did not even wince as he kissed the red marks left behind. He moved to arse cheeks and was just as gentle. He lay down on top of her and pushed her hair aside to whisper into her ear.

'You were so brave to take all that. You are so wonderful that the words I love you, just aren't enough to describe how I feel about you. The next time we are in here you can do whatever you want with me, tie me up, strip me, and whip me, or whatever your beautiful brain can think of. I love you so fucking much, Hermione. Does it hurt?'

As Ron had whispered to her, she fell even more in love with him. One moment he could be fierce and rough with her, and the next, he was the most gentle, kind and caring man in the world. 'Yes, a lot.'

'Right, let me heal you and then I am going to make love to you for the rest of the night, my Goddess.'

'Please, Ron.'

He asked the room for some instant salve and he gently applied it to her thighs and arse. The effect was amazing as the salve cooled the stinging at once and slowly made the red marks go away. Once that was done, they helped one another out of their remaining clothes, cast the Contraceptive Charm and made love for so long that they did not bother to go to sleep, but they did shower together and got dressed into yet more clothes provided by the Room, before successfully sneaking back to the Gryffindor Common Room. They then went up to their dorm rooms to dress properly for the day and to go to breakfast before going home on the Hogwarts' Express for the Christmas holidays.


	14. Christmas Shopping and Over Chess

Chapter Fourteen: Christmas Shopping and Over Chess

When the train arrived at King's Cross Station, and the trio disembarked, they were met by Hermione's parents, Sirius, and Ron's dad. The trio and Ginny said a hasty 'See you later,' before Harry left with Sirius, Ginny left with her father and Ron and Hermione left with her parents. The drive to her parents' house took a while, so Ron and Hermione fell asleep in the back of the car. They were awoken by Richard when they arrived at her home. Ron helped Richard carry in the trunks as Hermione and her mother went into the kitchen.

'How about we order some takeaway?' suggested Helen.

'Yes, all right then,' Richard replied.

They decided on Chinese and the four of them chose their orders and waited. Ron played chess with Richard, as Hermione talked about school with her mother. Ron had won all the games so far, as the food arrived. After dinner, Ron and Hermione sat and watched television with her parents before going to bed.

The next morning, Ron was woken up by Hermione jumping on him as he was having a most pleasant dream. He held her as she lay on top of him.

'Do you want to go Christmas shopping with me, today?' he asked.

'Of course, I do. Perhaps we should give out gifts as a couple. Buy them together and say they're from both of us,' she suggested.

'Is that normal for couples, then?' he asked.

'Yes, of course it is. Do you not think it's a good idea?'

'I think it's a brilliant idea, my love. Now, you need to move, so I can get dressed.'

'Pity about having to dress sometimes, isn't it?' she said coyly.

'You mean you'd rather stay naked all the time?'

'Yes, as long as it's with you. I love you, Ron. Now, come on, it's breakfast time!'

Hermione got up and walked away from him and as she did so, he noticed her walk with little extra hip movement, and as she looked over her shoulder at him, she gave him a flirty smile. Ron washed and dressed before following Hermione downstairs.

'So, any plans?' asked Richard, once breakfast had been eaten.

'Ron and I would like to go Christmas shopping, today.'

'That's fine. I'm sure Arthur will appreciate something muggle, am I right?'

'Yeah, dad's mental like that,' Ron chuckled.

Once they were ready to go, Ron and Hermione left to get the bus into town. When the bus arrived, Hermione paid their fares and they sat down on a seat next to each other. They were sitting close enough for Ron to push her hair away from her neck for him to kiss her there. Hermione giggled as he kissed her.

'Hermione … Did you know, that as much I love Christmas, I hate winter?' he whispered.

'No, why?' she whispered.

'Because, in the winter, you wear jeans that cover up your sexy legs,' he whispered huskily.

'But, if I didn't wear jeans, I would get a cold or worse. You wouldn't want that would you?'

'No, but I would put my hand up your skirt to stroke your lovely soft inner thighs, and maybe put my hand in your knickers and rub your cold but wet pussy until you're nice and warm, if you know what I mean?' said Ron as he moved his right hand under her jumper and shirt to give one of her breasts a gentle squeeze.

She moaned before saying, 'Yes, I know what you mean – easy access, you big git.'

She giggled as he kept kissing her neck and earlobe. Ron laughed gently into her neck as he continued right up to when the bus had arrived at their destination. They got off the bus and began to walk around the town centre and all the shops. Ron, who had gotten the twins to change some Galleons for him into muggle money, began to reel off all the people for whom he had to buy.

'Mum – Dad – Bill – Fleur – Charlie – Percy – Fred – George – Harry – Sirius – Remus – Ginny – Tonks – your parents, and you. Blimey, that's a lot of expense, now I think about it.'

'You don't have to get me anything. I have everything I want,' said Hermione.

'What kind of shite boyfriend would I be if I didn't get you anything, eh? You're my whole world, and I believe if we hadn't gotten together when we did, I don't think we would be where we are,' he said as he put his arm around her shoulders as she put an arm around his waist and tucked her hand into the back pocket of his jeans.

Eventually they had gifts for almost everybody except each other. They agreed to get something muggle for everyone, but neither of them could think of anything and neither wanted to split up to find a gift that would be a surprise, so, in the end, they compromised by Ron buying Hermione a nice book, and Hermione bought him a brand new chess set, before heading to the bus station. This trip into town had been far better than last time as nobody horrible from Hermione's old school had turned up to upset her. They walked back to her house where her parents were watching television as they came in the front door. Not wanting to spoil the surprises for they had bought, they took them upstairs before eating a wonderful dinner.

After dinner, Richard challenged Ron to game of chess as Hermione and her mother watched on while Ron won again.

'I can't believe someone so young is so good at this old game,' Richard said as Ron began to set up the board once more. Hermione yawned and decided that she was ready to go to bed, so she gave Ron a kiss goodnight before pecking both her parents on the cheek and going upstairs.

'Up for one more game?' Ron asked.

'All right,' said Richard.

'Want to make it interesting?'

'How?' asked Richard.

'If I win, I would like your permission to ask Hermione to marry me,' said Ron boldly.

'Deal, I'll be white,' replied Richard.

'Richard, Hermione's future and her heart is not something you gamble with over chess!' Helen said appalled.

'I'm not gambling with Hermione, Helen. I want your best game, Ron.'

'Believe me, you'll get it.'

So they played and after half an hour, Ron declared Checkmate.

'Well played, Ron. You know you could have just asked outright for my blessing, and you did not have to beat me at chess to get it, either. Helen and I think the world of you, and Hermione is always happy when you're around or when she's talking or thinking about you. You were her first friend and for that, I can't find the words to show you – not just my appreciation, but Helen's too. Even a blind man can see how much you love Hermione, and I couldn't have asked for a finer young man to lose my daughter to,' Richard told him.

'You aren't losing her. She will always be your little girl, and I would hope you would be thinking about gaining a son, rather than losing a daughter,' said Ron.

'We do, Ron. We really do think we are gaining a son. When do you think you will ask her?' said Helen.

'Soon, I think. You have no idea how much self-restraint it has been taking for me not to ask her before I could ask for your blessing. I don't think we'll marry until we're done with school, though. I have a ring already and I'll show you when hopefully she says yes and it's on her finger,' Ron said.

Helen yawned and apologised, but Ron waved away her apology, and decided it was bedtime anyway.

'Oh, and in case you're wondering how often I almost ask her, it's when she smiles at me, goodnight,' said Ron before going into his room.

Richard and Helen Granger shared a look before going to bed themselves.


	15. An Unpleasant Visit

Chapter Fifteen: An Unpleasant Visit

It was now Christmas Day. The Burrow was full to bursting with people. All the Weasleys, with the exception of Charlie and Percy, were there, and along with Fleur, Harry, Susan, Sirius, Amelia, Remus had already arrived before Ron and Hermione Flooed over at around midday. The last couple of days had been spent wrapping up gifts and arranging for the gifts to be sent and given before Christmas Day reared its ugly head. Harry, Susan, and Ginny had helped Mrs Weasley with some of the preparation for Christmas dinner, while others had been helping with the decorations a few days previously. Harry had not seen or spoken to Ron or Hermione since the train journey home and what he had overheard had disturbed him a great deal. So much so, that he was questioning both his and Dumbledore's trust of Snape. He had told them both about what he had overheard, but they had tried to convince him that Snape was trying to find out what Malfoy might be up to and to report it to Dumbledore.

Ron and Hermione greeted everyone and Harry was pleased to see them and he thanked them for his Christmas present. Ginny called Ron a "git" for managing to get out of helping with the dinner preparations, but she did thank him for the gift they had gotten her. They had just greeted Sirius when an owl arrived with a letter addressed to the man himself. The short note read.

_SB,_

_Urgent we meet. Need to talk. Meet me on the outskirts of Spinner's End on the hill._

_SS_

'I have to go, but I'll be back soon, Harry,' said Sirius before he left the Burrow to Disapparate.

He arrived at the destination and waited for the letter writer to arrive, which he did a minute later.

'Your calling card?' said Sirius waving the short note at the man.

'Yes, I apologise for dragging you away from your dinner.'

'It's fine, Severus, what do you need to talk about?'

Sirius and Snape looked around to see if they were truly alone and they were as both men cast a charm to reveal human presence and nothing happened, satisfied, Snape turned back to Sirius.

'What I am about to tell you, you cannot repeat to anybody, and especially not to Harry, do you understand?'

'I understand, but I'm not making any oaths or vows, so spill,' replied Sirius.

'I do not know if you are aware of Albus' injury to his right hand?'

'I am,' answered Sirius.

'Well, it will kill him and soon. In fact, by the end of the school year, possibly a little longer, I cannot tell. There is also a plot to kill Dumbledore using Draco Malfoy, concocted by the Dark Lord, though he does not know that Dumbledore is dying anyway. However, to spare Draco's soul, the Headmaster has requested that I kill him instead of the boy, and foolishly, I have agreed to the Headmaster's request.'

'Let me get this straight; Dumbles is dying, Voldy wants him dead and wants Draco to do it, but Dumbles wants you to do it in his stead? Am I right?'

'You have it correctly, but there is more.'

'_More?'_

'I made the Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa to keep watch on Draco, to keep him safe from harm as best as I can, and, to kill Albus if Draco cannot.'

'Fucking hell!' said Sirius loudly, 'talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don't envy you right now; that's for sure.'

'There is one more thing. For the last six months I have been seeing Narcissa, while Lucius is in jail. We meet at my home every weekend and spend it – well – you know …'

Sirius stayed silent for a moment before he let out a low whistle.

'Narcissa is under the impression that she owes me a debt, and despite my telling her that there is no debt, she insists on repaying me, if you know what I mean …' said Snape.

'Wow. I mean it. Wow. Why did you want to tell me?'

'Believe it or not, you are the only person I think I can trust with this. But I have done something else foolish. I have developed feelings for Narcissa, I know it is a rather stupid thing to have done and I have absolutely no idea what to do now, or when Lucius is broken out of Azkaban.'

Sirius began to pace back and forth a few times.

'Severus, I will keep your secrets. If you _do_ have to kill Dumbledore and we still win this war and more importantly, we both survive, I'll back you up. As far as Cissy goes, I've barely spoken to her in years. Before she met Lucy, she wasn't the snooty bitch she became. If I'm honest, I don't think she even liked him that much at first when the betrothal was made. If she likes you back, Severus, I will do all I can to help you, if you need it. What I would like, is to see Lucy's face if Cissy ditches him, but I guess I'll just have to use my imagination for now. Is there anything else?'

'There is one more question. Do all you Blacks have a big libido? I ask because Narcissa is bloody insatiable.'

Sirius chuckled and said, 'Of course we do. You'll just have to do your best to keep up with her. Good luck, Severus.'

'Thank you.'

The two men nodded to one another before Disapparating away.

0o0

At the Burrow everyone was sitting down to dinner, when Sirius arrived back. He quickly wolfed down Mrs Weasley's delicious Christmas dinner when she called out.

'Arthur – it's Percy!'

It was Percy all right, but he was not alone. The man walking beside him was a man Sirius recognised as Rufus Scrimegeour. Sirius groaned as Remus growled and made to leave.

'Keep your seat, Remus. Let's find out what he wants,' said Sirius.

Percy had led the Minister into the kitchen and eyes rolled as Mrs Weasley fussed over him.

'There's no need for your hospitality, Molly. We were in the area working, you know, and Percy wanted to drop by to see you all,' said Scrimegeour.

It did not look as if Percy wanted to greet anyone form what Harry could tell, and by the looks on the faces of the other Weasleys, they did not want to greet him either. It seemed as though Mrs Weasley was blind to the glares on the other's faces as she pulled Percy into hug, as he said, rather stiffly, 'Merry Christmas, Mother.'

Scrimegeour decided he wanted he would like a tour of the garden, and chose someone to take him.

'Ah, that young man has just finished, why doesn't he take a stroll with me?'

Sirius was about to tell Scrimegeour where to go, but Harry put his hand on Sirius' arm, and turned to the Minister.

'No, thank you. I've just eaten and I don't want to get indigestion. Why don't you just be honest and tell everyone here what you want?' said Harry. Harry had no desire to talk to someone who would make him a mascot.

'All right, I have been hoping to meet you for a long time, did you know that?' asked Scrimegeour.

'I did, actually,' Harry replied.

'Oh, I see. Well, Sirius and Dumbledore have tried to prevent me from meeting you, but I would still like to make a request of you.'

'What would that be?' asked Harry, though he knew full well what the request is.

'Nothing onerous, I assure you. What we would like is for you to be seen approving what the Ministry has been doing of late. Giving us your support and working together.'

Harry looked at Scrimegeour for a moment. He remembered all the crap the Ministry had tried to put him through last year and the mistakes the Ministry was still making – the arrest of Stan Shunpike being one of them.

'Well, Minister, I am afraid that that won't work for me, because I don't approve of what the Ministry has been doing. I can't be seen walking in and out of the Ministry, if I am supposed to be at school. I don't think that Stan Shunpike should be in Azkaban, but once again, the Ministry has _got to be seen_ _doing something_ – whether it is right or in this case, wrong. My past dealings with the Ministry have never been good, and I don't remember you jumping to my defence while the Prophet was writing lies about me. So, my answer is no. Have things gotten so bad, that you need a sixteen year old to raise everybody's morale?'

Scrimegeour knew he was not going to get a different answer so he changed tack. 'Tell me about what Dumbledore is doing! Where does he go when he is away from Hogwarts?' he asked bad-temperedly.

'I don't know what _Professor_ Dumbledore is doing, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. The last Minister tried to interfere at Hogwarts, and he got the sack. You should leave Professor Dumbledore alone.'

'I see. Dumbledore's man through and through, aren't you, Potter,' sneered Scrimegeour.

'Was that supposed to be an insult? But to answer your question; yes, I am, and I'm also not a fucking mascot, either. I'm a person, a person who would prefer it if you addressed him as Lord Potter,' said Harry angrily.

Scrimegeour, angry, left by the back door, but before Percy could leave, Harry had some words for him, too.

'I can't believe you would choose a job over your family, Percy. You offend me, and you offend your parents by pretending that you wanted to be here, too.'

Harry turned away from Percy as several items of leftover food was thrown in his direction as he stormed out after his boss, just as Ron and Hermione slipped out of the room.


	16. Kissing On New Year's Eve

Chapter Sixteen: Kissing on New Year's Eve

Ron and Hermione made their way away from the kitchen and upstairs to Ron's bedroom. Hermione opened the door and sat them both down.

'Ron, if you want to talk, I'm here.'

'I know, love. Why can't we go back to being a family again? How much longer had this got to go on for? It was so horrible seeing the looks on their faces,' he said sadly.

Hermione pulled Ron into her arms and held him tightly. 'I wish I knew, Ron. I'm sorry.'

'It's not your fault, sweet Hermione, not your fault,' Ron said gently into her neck. In the distance they could hear a loud crack as Percy Disapparated.

'We'll talk to Dumbledore when we get back to school,' Hermione whispered.

'Love you, Hermione,' he murmured into her neck, 'so perfect, so beautiful, so smart, and so sexy.'

Hermione blushed as a tear rolled down her cheek and said, 'So yours, Ron.'

Ron looked up into her eyes and wiped her stray tear away before kissing her gently. Hermione deepened the kiss, when there was a knock on the door.

'Ron, it's your father, can I come in?'

Ron stopped and pulled away and said, 'Yeah, come on in, Dad.'

'Are you all right?'

'I miss him, Dad. If it wasn't for Percy, I never would have gotten together with Hermione – not without his advice,' said Ron sadly.

'If it's any consolation, Son, I miss him, too. He'll come back to us, he has to,' said Mr Weasley gently as he ruffled his youngest son's hair. He had not been able to that for a while as Ron was taller than him and was probably the tallest of all his children.

'Dad, knock it off!'

'What? I couldn't help myself. You're so tall and it's not like I can just reach up, is it?'

'Yes, he is so tall, isn't he?' giggled Hermione as Ron was trying straighten his hair again.

'No, you're all just a bunch of short-arses!' said Ron chuckling.

This made Hermione and Mr Weasley laugh, too.

'If you're still hungry, dessert is almost ready,' said Mr Weasley.

'Dessert! Great! Come on, love, you'll love Mum's Christmas dessert!' said Ron excitedly before he stood up and pulled to her feet and then picked her up in a Fireman's lift and carried her kicking and squealing down the stairs.

Once dessert was over, Harry approached Remus, who up until now had been very quiet.

'Hello, Harry. Are you all right?'

'I was going to ask you the same question, Remus,' Harry replied.

'It isn't your job to worry about me, Cub, it's mine to worry about you,' said Remus.

'I know, but that doesn't stop me worrying about you. So, what's wrong?'

Remus just sighed sadly.

'Is it Tonks?' asked Harry quietly.

Remus nodded.

'What happened?'

'She asked me out, Harry, but I turned her down. She's very upset.'

'I'm not bloody surprised. Is it because of your "furry little problem"?'

Remus nodded again.

'I see. Well I think you're a bloody idiot, Remus. A girl – woman – a beautiful woman at that, asks you for a date, and you say no, yes, definitely a bloody idiot,' said Harry.

'Harry, I can't make her an outcast!'

'I bet she wouldn't care.'

Remus smiled at that and said, 'Never mind my woman troubles, what about yours?'

'I don't have any.'

'That isn't true. From what I hear, you've had girls following you everywhere you go.'

'Ugh, don't, it's embarrassing. I'm not interested in any of them.'

'What about a certain red haired girl we both know?'

'Bloody Sirius, for an Auror, he's got a loose mouth.'

Remus chuckled and said, 'He does, but we still love him, don't we? Anyway, what are you going to do about Ginny?'

'Not a lot. I know she's single again, but I don't want to make her a target any more than she already is.'

'Ah, the Potter Noble Git Streak, as I believe it's called.'

'Remus, don't make fun of me. Not now.'

'All right, Cub.'

'You know, the Tonkses are coming here for New Year's, as are we. Maybe at midnight, you could arrange to kiss her then?' said Harry coaxingly.

'You could do the same with Ginny,' replied Remus.

'All right, I will. But you have to kiss Tonks, and ask her – beg her if you have to, to see if she'll still have you, and I'll ask out Ginny, deal?'

'Deal,' said Remus.

'Huh, did we just make a pact?'

'I think we did, Cub – a Marauder's Pact, in fact.'

Harry laughed as Sirius joined them with a glass of eggnog for the three of them.

Over the next few days, the holidays became more fun with Christmas Day out of the way. Sirius had made arrangements for himself, Harry, Amelia, and Susan to go to a football match with the Grangers and Ron. They had gone to a match featuring Tottenham Hotspur, who were the home team, and Sirius and Mr Granger's favourite team, and had had an amazing time. They had seen a victory for their team and Ron, in particular, had enjoyed himself immensely. All eight of them had bought a replica shirt and a programme each, which enhanced the experience even more. But what Ron enjoyed the most, were the terrace songs and chants, the ruder – the better. Hermione watched Ron with an expression of half-amused and half-annoyed look on her face as she hated the rude chants. But after a while, she found herself joining in with them all alongside her mother. Sitting in the home section, amongst the other Spurs fans had been fun, too. Harry had also enjoyed himself, too. He had never really had the time to follow football before, but had loved his first trip to White Hart Lane to watch Spurs play so much, that he promised himself that he would become a season ticket holder, and Ron agreed with him, although it would never replace Quidditch in either of the boy's hearts. The real surprise was that Amelia had gotten into the game, too, but she had been converted by Sirius ages ago.

0o0

New Year's Eve finally came. Harry had put on his best clothes as had everybody else. When everybody had finally arrived, the party had begun. Harry could not help noticing how beautiful Ginny was in her new dress. Ron, meanwhile, was too busy drinking in Hermione in her new dress to worry about Harry drooling over his sister. Mrs Weasley had laid out an impressive buffet of finger foods. Mr Weasley had banned any and all music and songs by Celestina Warbeck so there would no possible clashes between his wife and his future daughter-in-law, Fleur, who had already made her feelings towards Mrs Weasley's favourite "singer", quite clear.

Sirius had Amelia in his arms as he looked around to see almost everybody had paired off. Susan was dancing with Fred and George, Bill with Fleur, Ted and Andromeda, Molly and Arthur, Ron and Hermione. _'No surprises there,'_ he thought. But he did see Remus and Tonks, and Harry and Ginny dancing together. He could only hope that both Harry and Remus were finally getting their arses in gear and getting their girls. He noticed it was almost midnight.

'One minute 'til midnight, everyone!' he called out before he looked back to Amelia.

Ron was engrossed in Hermione as usual, when suddenly, somebody began counting down.

'Ten!

'Nine!

'Eight!

'Seven!

'Six!

Ron pulled Hermione closer, as Harry did the same with Ginny, and Remus did the same with Tonks.

'Five!

'Four!

'Three!

'Two!

'One!

'HAPPY NEW YEAR!' they all shouted gleefully as they all started to kiss their partner.

Harry began gave a Ginny a soft kiss on the lips, which she returned, and when it was over, Harry said, 'Ginny, will you go out with me?'

'Yes,' she said before pulling Harry into a deep kiss.

Remus, meanwhile, was doing the exact same thing as Harry. The only difference was that he and Tonks had not stopped kissing. This was because Remus had already begged Tonks' forgiveness for turning her down previously, and had asked for another chance to go out with her. She had accepted both things with a long and passionate kiss. Remus had never felt so happy before, and the only other person who was feeling similar to him, was Harry. Harry looked at Remus and the pair raised their glasses to one another as they danced with their new girlfriends.

Ron had seen the exchange between them, and raised his glass to them before whispering to Hermione that Harry and Ginny were together, as were Remus and Tonks, and Hermione beamed before they too, snogged and danced the night away.


	17. Apparition

Chapter Seventeen: Apparition

Once the last days of the Christmas holidays were over, the trio with Ginny went back to Hogwarts. During the last few days of the holiday, Hermione passed her muggle driving test. Her father had given her a few lessons back in the summer and then after a few more, she had passed her test on the first try. Ron had also had a go at driving and he had proven to be very good. Ron, however, put his skills down to the fact he had learned to drive by driving his father's old Ford Anglia around the Burrow. He had taught himself while his mother's back was turned and his father had put up spells around the house, his shed and the chicken coop. Richard had been impressed with Ron's skills and told him he should take the test when he too, was seventeen.

All four of them had Flooed back to Hogwarts from the Burrow due to a one-off connection to enable the students to return to school safely. Professor McGonagall greeted them, and Hermione asked their Head of House for the new password for Gryffindor Tower. 'The password is Abstinence. The Fat Lady drank an entire vat of wine over the holidays, so …'

'Thank you, Professor,' said Hermione politely, and once all four of them were far enough away, they burst out laughing before arriving back in the Common Room.

However, the next morning, they noticed a sign on the notice board which read;

_APPARITION LESSONS_

_If you are seventeen years of age, or will turn seventeen on or before the 31st August, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from a Ministry of Magic Apparition Instructor._

_Please sign below if you would like to participate._

_Cost: 12 Galleons._

Harry, Ron and Hermione all signed their names on the parchment before going to breakfast. It was at breakfast that Harry was informed that Dumbledore wished to meet with him this very evening. Though the breakfast table was full of chatter of Apparition experiences, usually in most cases where older family members had tormented them with their Apparition skills to wind them up or the scare the shit out of them.

After a full day of lessons, Harry went to see Dumbledore, while Ron and Hermione went on Prefect Patrol using the Marauder's Map. Ron and Hermione walked around the castle hand in hand looking for rule-breakers, they spotted Malfoy again walking on the floor below them and moving down the stairs towards the dungeons, they decided not to bother to try to cut him off and let him go. They then made their way back to the Common Room to wait for Harry. They took a seat in the sofa and held one another. They shared a few passionate kisses just before Harry returned.

Harry did not speak to them for he was still deep in thought and very confused. He continued to sit and think until Ron and Hermione asked what was vexing him so. Harry told them about the two memories he had been shown by Dumbledore. The first had featured a teenaged Voldemort meeting his Uncle Morfin in the Gaunt's Shack. Ron and Hermione had found the memory interesting and they discussed it at length before Harry told them about Slughorn's tampered with memory. He asked them if either of them had heard of Horcruxes, and neither of them had. Hermione would try to find them in the Restricted Section in the Library as soon as possible. But before they went to bed, Harry called Sirius to inform him of the Apparition Course.

'I remember when we did it. We had some bloke from the Ministry who kept waffling on about the Three D's,' said Sirius.

'Oh, I remember him! Some little bloke called Twycross, and The Three D's stood for Destination, Determination, and Deliberation,' said Remus, who was in on the call.

'Yeah, that's right, it was so bloody confusing. We were all overwhelmed with too much information and no bugger could do it until I remembered a rare and useful piece of advice from my dad. The first time he took me along it was bloody odd, and I asked him how he did it. He told me I'd learn how during my sixth year at school, and then he gave away his secret to easy Apparition. He said, "Think about where you want to go, and imagine yourself going there". Once I'd had a few goes, I was the first person in our whole year group to Apparate,' said Sirius.

All three of them had found the advice useful. Even Harry, who during the first lesson, had taken the chance to listen in on Malfoy having a disagreement with Crabbe about keeping lookout over somewhere. Though neither of them had been able to Apparate in that first lesson, they were not too disheartened. But after listening in on Malfoy, Harry was more interested in what he could be up to rather than learning Apparition or getting the true memory from Slughorn, much to the frustration of Ron and Hermione.

It was in the third lesson that both Ron and Hermione managed to Apparate into their hoops. Harry managed it in the fourth lesson. The look on Malfoy's ugly face was worth it as together at the same time, they Apparated in and out of their hoops, much to the delight of Twycross.

Now that Harry had gotten Apparition down, he focused all his energies on what Malfoy is up to, and what with no brainwave on the Slughorn memory front, they also focused on their classes.


	18. A Cheeky Solution

Chapter Eighteen: A Cheeky Solution

One thing that was not frustrating Harry, was his new relationship with Ginny. She was making him happier than he could ever remember being. Kissing her was incredible. She tasted exquisite. She made him laugh and she made him relax in a way nobody had ever been able to before. He wondered if this was what Ron and Hermione felt whenever they were together. Ginny told him that his two best friends were shagging and had been for some time, though this did not shock Harry, he was not sure that he and Ginny were ready for that kind of intimacy. Ginny had had a conversation with Hermione where she had gushed and giggled like a schoolgirl how happy she was to have finally won over Harry. Harry and Ginny kept their relationship within the confines of Gryffindor Tower but held hands under the table in the Great Hall.

However, the trio needed a plan to persuade Slughorn to give Harry the real memory. The next Potions lesson was to be on Antidotes. Slughorn had asked the class if they knew Golpolott's Third Law, only Hermione seemed to have the right idea as she managed to recite it for the class. To Harry and Ron it may as well have been Greek for all they knew and understood. Slughorn then set the class the task of finding and creating an antidote for the poisons in the room. As Harry pored through his copy of Advanced Potion Making looking for a tip from the Half-Blood Prince, Ron was watching Hermione work as he flicked through his book where he had copied all the tips belonging to the Half-Blood Prince and found it.

_Just shove a Bezoar down their throats._

It was just seven words. Seven simple words and he gave Hermione a subtle nudge and he showed her.

When she had read it, she gasped before whispering, 'That would make sense, but we should do the task properly and learn to mix the correct antidotes.'

'I know, but will you translate that Golpolott thing into English for me later, though?' Ron replied.

'I'll do my best, and I'll probably have to do it for Harry as well,' said Hermione.

During their conversation, neither had noticed Harry slip off into the Store Cupboard.

Eventually, Slughorn called time on the class. Ron had not been able to understand the process, and not finished anything of note. Hermione had made a potion comprising fifty-one different ingredients. It would have been fifty-two, but Ron had stopped her from cutting a lock of her hair, he claimed it was too beautiful and valuable to be tossed into a potion.

Slughorn passed by their potions without saying anything. He reached Harry with an air excitement and expectation.

Harry opened his hand to reveal a Bezoar in his palm.

Slughorn, however, had not been mad at all. In fact, he thought that Harry was thinking outside the box by showing them the Bezoar, but Slughorn told the class it was important that they learn Antidotes, as Bezoars were rare and that they did not work on everything. The class was then dismissed, and as Harry seemed to be dawdling, Ron and Hermione left without him.

When Harry caught up with them, he told them that he asked Slughorn about Horcruxes himself. He told them that the plan had failed spectacularly and they were back to square one. Ron and Hermione had not been too pleased that Harry had gotten away with not doing any work, but said nothing, before Ron got Hermione to translate Golpolott's Third Law into plain, simple English before going to dinner.

If peoples' mood was bad, it was nothing compared to when everybody found out that the next Hogsmeade weekend had been cancelled. It had been scheduled for Ron's Birthday, which particularly upset Ron as he was hoping to have a birthday celebration in the Three Broomsticks, but alas, it was not meant to be. But, there was still the Apparition Lesson to attend, but it did not appease Ron's sour mood. The only thing that did was the time he and Hermione spent together naked and shagging in the Room of Requirement.

Nothing was coming to mind to solve the problem of getting the true memory from Slughorn, nor were there any ideas as to what Malfoy might be up to, either. Ron and Hermione spent their free time snogging, as did Harry and Ginny. Harry had not been allowed to divulge to Ginny any of his meetings with Dumbledore and what had been discussed. He had, however, told her about his theory about Malfoy being a Death Eater, and she had chosen to go with Harry's instincts on that one, too.


	19. Birthday Weekend

Chapter Nineteen: Birthday Weekend

Ron had been ordered by Hermione not to get her anything for Valentine's Day. But Ron, being the obnoxious git that he was, ignored the orders Hermione gave him by giving her a box of Honeyduke's Chocolates, and a hand-made card. Of course, she had been annoyed that he had ignored her, but the hand-made card had melted her heart completely. The reason she did not want him to go mad for Valentine's Day was because his seventeenth birthday was two weeks afterward, and in her opinion, far more important. She had also gotten him something for Valentine's Day, but her gift had consisted of a card, too. So they had agreed to disagree and spent a wonderful Friday evening the Room of Requirement sharing kisses, massages and making love.

Now it was two weeks later and the eve of Ron's seventeenth birthday and lessons were finally over for the day. Ron and Hermione had a quick dinner before going to the Room of Requirement. Hermione wanted Ron all to herself for the day, and Ron decided that his gifts could wait until Saturday evening. However, they would still have to attend the Apparition lesson in the morning. As Ron and Hermione walked towards the Room of Requirement, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her bridal style before setting her back down again outside where the door was to appear. She walked back and forth three times before the door appeared and led him inside. The Room had transformed into an exquisite bedroom. A large bed surrounded by candles as soft music played for them.

'Ron, for tonight and the whole weekend it's just us and we can do anything you desire,' she said softly.

'Hermione, my Goddess, all I desire is you. I love you so much,' he replied.

He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently before things got passionate. They kissed as clothes were removed and they whispered word of love to each other before Ron cast the Contraceptive Charm. They made love for hours until they fell asleep naked in each other's arms.

The next day they left the Room of Requirement for the Great Hall for their Apparition lesson. Neither of them noticed two of their number missing before they went back to the Room of Requirement. This time they did not make love. They fucked for hours. It was the best birthday he had ever had. They left the Room of Requirement for Gryffindor Tower during dinner. Ron opened his other gifts. His parents had given him a watch, as was the tradition. Harry had given him a new pair of Keeper's Gloves. The twins had sent him a jacket made of finest Dragon's skin and a book entitled: Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches. This had made Hermione laugh as she looked through it. Ron had joked about trying out the tips on her to make her fall even more hopelessly in love him, and she had laughed at that, too.

It was then when Harry came into the dorm.

'Hey, mate, you all right?' said Ron.

'I'm all right, considering …'

'Er, considering what?' asked Ron.

'Well, this morning, Neville swallowed a love potion so I took him to Slughorn for an antidote, and then while we were drinking some mead, Neville was poisoned.'

'What!' said Ron and Hermione in shock, 'is he –?'

'He's fine. I gave him the same Bezoar I gave to Slughorn the other day. He's recovering in the Hospital Wing.'

'Thank fuck. It's a good thing you remembered the Bezoar and it was in the room,' said Ron.

'You aren't wrong,' said Harry.

'Thanks for the Gloves, mate,' said Ron.

'No problem, happy birthday, by the way.'

'Cheers.'

After a short silence, Harry went to bed and a short time later, Ron and Hermione got into Ron's bed for a good night's sleep.

The next morning, Hermione awoke in Ron's arms and watched him sleep until he woke himself.

'Morning, handsome,' she whispered.

'Morning, gorgeous,' he whispered back.

She blushed and said, 'Do you want to go back to the Room of Requirement, today?'

'No, you wore me out yesterday. Why don't we have a picnic on the grounds or the Astronomy Tower?'

'Mm, that's a wonderful idea. A picnic on the grounds sounds lovely.'

'All right, we should each grab a shower and go down to the kitchen and have Dobby prepare a basket for us.'

Hermione agreed and so she got up and left as Ron took a shower. Once he was ready, he met Hermione in the Common Room. They then walked down to the kitchen and asked Dobby to prepare their picnic and off they went to find a nice and secluded part of the grounds for privacy. Once they found somewhere, Ron laid out a blanket and they sat down before Ron handed her a plate of sandwiches. She laid the plate on the blanket in front of them as they then took it in turns to choose a sandwich. They ate for a while just simply enjoying each other's company in comfortable silence. Once they ate all their food, Ron laid down on the blanket as Hermione laid her head down on his chest and he held her in his arms. He stroked her hair as they laid quietly for at least another half an hour. When they were in danger of falling asleep, Hermione decided they should go back inside and so she packed away the picnic basket as Ron rolled up the blanket. But as they were ready to move, Ron hesitated and looked around for anyone who would be able to spy on them. He took the basket out of her hands and put it back on the ground.

Ron noticed Hermione's puzzled face and spoke, 'My fair, beautiful, sweet Hermione, do you have any idea how much I love you?'

'Hopefully, it is the same amount as I love you, my brave, Gryffindor Lion.'

'Oh, I know you do, and I do, my lovely little Gryffindor Lioness. Thank you for an incredible weekend, I will never forget it for as long as I live, my love.'

'I won't forget it, either, my Ron.'

'I have one more thing to say before we go back inside.'

'Please, say whatever you need to.'

'Hermione Jean Granger, I have loved you since I met you and even when I was too daft to realise it. I love you more than life itself and there is nothing I would not do for you, so with that …' Ron then got down on one knee before her and took a small box from out of his pocket and opened it. Hermione's hands flew up to cover her mouth in shock. She knew what was coming next. 'Hermione, will you marry me?'

Hermione did not have to look at the ring Ron was trying to give her, but she did look into his blue eyes and saw nothing but love, worship and adoration in them and on his face. Her answer was simple. 'Yes, a million times yes, Ron!'

Ron reached for her left hand and she held it out to him. He then took out the ring and placed it on her ring finger. It was then when she noticed that the ring had a gold band and an impressive Sapphire.

'It's beautiful. Thank you, Ron.'

'It's not as beautiful as you, and thank you for saying yes.'

Hermione blushed and giggled. 'I'm engaged. _We're engaged_. I can't believe it,' she said giddily.

'Yeah, we are. But I don't want anyone to know – except Harry, though.'

'I was thinking the same thing myself. Perhaps I should take it off?'

'No, we can hide it with a Glamour Charm. And we don't have to get married until we're done with school, obviously. We'll tell people when we're ready, okay?'

Hermione nodded and Ron performed a spell to hide her engagement ring and only he and Hermione could see it now.

'Shall we?' he said offering her his hand and picking up the picnic basket and blanket. Hermione beamed at him and took his hand and together walked back to the castle.


	20. A Lot On His Plate

Chapter Twenty: A lot on His Plate

Harry, Ron and Hermione visited Neville in the Hospital Wing every day. He was making a steady recovery from his near fatal poisoning. Neville's grandmother had hailed Harry a hero, and had thanked him most profusely for saving Neville. Hannah Abbot, who had returned after Christmas, also thanked Harry for saving Neville. The professors had praised Harry for his quick and timely actions, too.

Ron and Hermione had informed Harry of their engagement, and he had congratulated them most enthusiastically, and, more importantly, promised to keep it to himself. Ron immediately asked Harry if he would like to be best man for when the time came and Harry agreed to his best friend's request.

Now, all Harry had to concentrate on was Ginny, homework, Quidditch, Draco Malfoy, and obtaining the true memory from Professor Slughorn. Quidditch was easy to deal with as the team were performing together like never before. Ron was excelling more than ever and Harry thought that even a professional Chaser would struggle to score off of him these days. Harry found it difficult to not admire Ginny as she flew quite brilliantly. So, he was very confident of victory over Hufflepuff in their next game. On the morning if the game, Harry paid Neville a visit before going to the Quidditch Pitch. Despite Hannah being there, Harry told Neville that the team would win it for him. Hannah had not minded as she felt that Neville was more important than her house winning a game of Quidditch. On his way down to the pitch, Harry saw Draco Malfoy and a couple girls wandering the halls. Despite knowing full well that Malfoy was not going to tell him, Harry still asked him what he was doing inside instead of watching the game about to take place. As expected, Malfoy disregarded him and so Harry made his way to the changing rooms. After changing quickly, he gathered the team together before leading them out onto the pitch.

The game lasted only an hour, but it was still an impressive victory for Gryffindor. Ron had played a blinder as he shut out the opposition Chasers, and the Gryffindor Chasers had been on fire too as they racked up plenty of goals before Harry caught the Snitch for a winning margin of Four hundred and Ten to Zero. The party in the Common Room after was a little subdued as Neville was not there, but everybody took part in drinking a toast to their friend in the Hospital Wing.

Neville was released from the Hospital Wing on Monday morning. Harry had also received a note from Dumbledore that he wished to see him that evening. However, Harry had not completed the task set for him by the Headmaster, and when it was time to leave for his appointment with Dumbledore it was with a slight feeling of guilt. Ron and Hermione told Harry that they would wait up for him when he was done. They spent their time waiting for Harry by snogging on the couch by the fire, doing some homework, and more snogging. Ginny was busy studying for her up and coming O.W.L. Examinations.

When Harry returned, he told Ron and Hermione about the two memories he had been shown tonight. The first had been when Tom Riddle had worked for Borgin and Burke's, and how he was exceptionally talented at making deals on behalf of his employers to get people to part with their valuable trinkets. Of how he had framed a house-elf for the murder of an old, very rich witch named Hepzibah Smith, and had stolen two very valuable artefacts. A Cup that had belonged to Helga Hufflepuff, and a Gold Locket that had belonged to Salazar Slytherin and more significantly and recently, Merope Riddle nee Gaunt – his mother. Hermione was disgusted that a house-elf had gotten the blame for a murder committed by Voldemort.

The second memory had been of when Lord Voldemort had attempted to secure the Defence Against the Dark Arts job, shortly after Dumbledore had been made Headmaster. Consequentially, Dumbledore had refused the post to Voldemort, and ever since, no teacher had managed to last more than a year. Ron and Hermione both shuddered at the thought of the possibility of being taught by Voldemort. Ron joked that he could not be any worse than Quirrell, Lockhart, or Umbridge.

After the meeting and Dumbledore making him feel ashamed that he had not given the task set previously his full attention, he began to knuckle down and pay less attention to Draco Malfoy. Instead he set Dobby the task of following the Slytherin without being seen.

It was two weeks later when Dobby reported back with news of where Malfoy had been going. Dobby told them that Malfoy had going to the Room of Requirement with different students to keep watch for him. From there, Harry began to work it all out. He surmised that Malfoy had nicked Polyjuice Potion and was making Crabbe and Goyle change into girls so they could inconspicuously keep watch in front of the door to the Room of Requirement. Unfortunately, they would be stymied as it was and is impossible to find out what Malfoy would be doing in there. Ron and Hermione advised Harry to keep trying with Slughorn to get the memory. Harry thanked Dobby for his hard work.

A few days later, the trio heard Moaning Myrtle crying and took the time to see how she was. Myrtle told them that she had been visited by a boy who had been upset but she would not tell them who he was. As usual, Ron made fun of her before leaving the bathroom with a chuckling Harry and a giggling Hermione, as he looked forward to the extra practice sessions in Hogsmeade in preparation for their Apparition tests that were coming up soon. But to Ron, it meant being able to be in Hogsmeade with Hermione so they could have a semi-romantic lunch in the Three Broomsticks afterward.

Being in Hogsmeade with Hermione again was great. Both of them could Apparate perfectly well by now and their instructor, Wilkie Twycross, praised them both very highly for their skill and concentration abilities. Eventually, they were able to sit down to lunch and enjoyed some private time away from the group. Harry, unfortunately, would not be seventeen by the time the first Apparition test date was scheduled, had stayed behind to finish homework and to come up with a way to make Slughorn give him the true memory.


	21. Lucky and Unlucky

Chapter Twenty-One: Lucky and Unlucky

Over the next several days, the trio thought long and hard about getting the memory from Slughorn. This was until Ron remembered that Harry could try and use the Felix Felicis Potion. Harry was not sure that this would be the best use of the potion, but Hermione agreed with Ron that it was worth a try as they had no other ideas. But then they were interrupted by a younger student giving Harry a note. Harry thought for a moment it might have been from Dumbledore, but upon closer inspection, the note was from Hagrid.

'Look at this,' said Harry once he had finished the note.

Ron took the note from Harry and he and Hermione read the note themselves.

'He's mental! He's asking us to go and cry over the body of dead spider that told its mates to eat Harry and me,' said Ron.

'Not to mention he's asking us to sneak out at night, for which we could get into trouble, if it were a case of saving him –'said Hermione.

'I'd want to go even less. You didn't meet him, love, trust me, being dead will have improved him a lot,' Ron spoke again, but Hermione noticed the look on Harry's face.

'You can't be thinking of going, it's such a pointless thing to get in trouble for …'

'Yeah, you're right, Hermione. Don't know what I was thinking of …'

Ron and Hermione relieved that they had talked Harry out of going to Aragog's burial, began to discuss the use of the lucky potion again, and agreed to do it tonight.

When it was time to take the potion, the trio went up to the boy's dormitory for Harry to take it.

'I won't need all of it. Just a few drops should be enough, right? Two or three hours' worth, I think,' said Harry, and he took a little sip of the potion.

Ron and Hermione watched on as a really goofy grin appeared on Harry's face.

'You okay?' said Ron.

'Excellent, really excellent, right, I'm going down to Hagrid's …'

Ron and Hermione seemed puzzled but trusted that Harry was being nudged along by the potion. So they watched him go out of the boy's dorm leaving Ron and Hermione alone.

'I guess now we wait,' said Hermione.

'Yeah, I guess we do. So, what shall we do while Harry's gone?'

'Study, Ronald.'

'Fine, you win, we'll study, but I want a nice long snog before we start.'

'Hmm, I think I can manage that …'

They shared a long and passionate kiss before they gathered their books for a night of studying in the Common Room. But after several hours, and Harry having not returned yet and it getting late, they fell asleep on the couch in each other's arms.

It was the in the early hours when Harry returned and found Ron and Hermione asleep on the couch by the fire. Normally, he would have left them to their sleep, but what he had to tell them was more important. So he shook them awake, and once they were fully awake, he told them what Slughorn's true memory contained. Harry told them what Horcruxes were and both Ron and Hermione were nauseated by the thought of splitting their souls after committing murder. This was how Riddle had survived in Godric's Hollow after he attempted to kill Harry. Harry also told them that Dumbledore would take Harry with him if he found another one. Ron thought it was cool that Dumbledore would take Harry with him, but Hermione could not help but worry for Harry's safety, but she also voiced the question of how do you destroy a Horcrux? Harry figured that Dumbledore would tell him in good time.

Another thing that had occurred was that Ron and Hermione had taken their Apparition tests. Happily enough, both of them had passed their tests with flying colours.

0o0

Severus Snape was walking through the castle, minding his own business. He was thinking about his ten month affair with Narcissa Malfoy. He was constantly finding himself surprised that she could want to do things that they did. He was shocked at just how kinky she was. She had had to beg him to do half the things they did together. She could not get enough of it. He had found out that she liked to be fucked hard and fast, and that she liked to be punished. It was during these muses when he heard it. A girl's loud screeching, 'MURDER! MURDER!'

Snape found himself running towards the screaming and burst into the girl's bathroom. Inside Snape found Draco Malfoy covered in blood with deep gashes on his body, and Harry Potter throwing up in one of the toilets. Ignoring Potter, he went to work on Malfoy. He ran his wand over his wounds and sang a counter-curse as the wounds closed and the bleeding stopped. He murmured about the taking of Dittany just as a precaution. He then turned to Potter, and said, 'Stay here, Potter. You and I will talk about this.'

Snape took Malfoy to the Hospital Wing and told Madam Pomfrey what had happened as quickly as he could before he went back to find Potter still in the bathroom.

'What happened, Potter?' he asked.

Harry looked at Snape and said, 'I was walking past the bathroom and I heard someone crying. Thinking it might be a younger student, I came in here to see if I could help. It turns out it was Draco, but he saw me in the mirror and he turned around and fired a Non-verbal spell at me. So I fired one back, before he attempted to use an Unforgivable Curse on me.'

'Are you sure about that, Potter?'

'How many other spells start with "Cruci", Sir?'

'I see. What spell did you use?'

'It was a spell I found in my potions book – a handwritten one – Sectumsempra. I didn't know what it did, it was the first spell that came to my mind, I've already been tortured by Voldemort, and I didn't want that to happen again. Use Legillimency on me and see it all for yourself.'

So Snape did so as Harry had given him his permission, and saw Harry had told him the truth.

'It's all right, Potter. I saw everything I needed to. This potions book, did it contain tips to make the potions correctly?'

'Yes, Sir,' said Harry.

'That explains a lot. The book you found was mine. I invented all the spells in that book. I'm sorry to say that I invented Sectumsempra, though. Why did you keep the book?'

'It was useful, and my weakness is Potions, and if I ever want to be an Auror … I needed it to improve my Potions work.'

'I understand. However, I will still have to put you both in detention. Separate detentions, of course. You will come to my office, Thursday evening at six o'clock. I will inform the Headmaster of this, you may go.'

During the meeting with the Dumbledore, the Headmaster asked if he was sure that Harry was all right.

'He will be. He was throwing up in when I found him. I have given them both a detention unless you wish to add any additional punishments, Headmaster?'

'No, Severus. I think that will be sufficient. Do you agree, Minerva?'

'I do, the poor boy must be feeling terrible,' said Professor McGonagall.

'He does. You did not see him. I've never seen him so … afraid; I think would be how I would put it.'

Harry told Ron and Hermione what had happened, and they had both been appalled at Malfoy for trying to use an Unforgivable on Harry. They both thought that Snape had been rather clever to invent the other spells, though. At least Harry was allowed to still play Quidditch this Saturday.

The detention itself was not too bad as he had to sort out rotten Flobberworms from good ones. Malfoy too, had been given a similar detention. Snape had informed Narcissa of what had happened and she had been grateful that he had done all he could for her son.

Meanwhile, Harry led the Gryffindor Quidditch team to victory the following Saturday with an impressive win over Ravenclaw by a margin of three hundred and ten to zero. It was the first time a Quidditch team at Hogwarts had ever won the Quidditch Cup without conceding a point. The party held in the Common room that night was huge and lasted long into the night and not even Professor McGonagall came in to break up the party.


	22. Trouble

Chapter Twenty-Two: Trouble

Ron and Hermione were sitting in the Common Room waiting for Harry. This was because Harry had received a note from Dumbledore and they assumed that he had found a Horcrux. When Harry returned, he looked troubled and harassed. They asked him what Dumbledore wanted. Instead Harry told them that it was Snape who told Voldemort of the Prophecy, at least the portion he had overheard, and that Malfoy had been found celebrating in the Room of Requirement by Professor Trelawney, Harry was angry and upset at Snape, as well as running around like a blue-arsed fly trying to get organised. He gave them his lucky potion and told them to be on the lookout for Snape and Malfoy in case they make their move while Dumbledore was out of the castle. He gave them the Marauder's Map and to get anyone they could from the D.A. so they could be ready.

Both Ron and Hermione declined the potion, but Harry told them he would be safe with Dumbledore, and to share the potion with Ginny, too. He gave Hermione a look as if to say don't worry and don't argue before he left to meet with Dumbledore.

Hermione used the D.A. coin to send a message and waited for anyone who would show up. As Ron held her, he could feel her trembling slightly. He gave her a few kisses to calm her as they waited. After waiting for twenty minutes, they were joined by Ginny, Neville and Luna. Ron quickly informed them what Harry was suspecting and they decided to split their forces. Ron would take the Map, Neville and Ginny and waited outside of the Room of requirement, while Hermione and Luna went to wait outside of Snape's office. Ron gave Hermione another reassuring hug and kiss before heading to their positions.

Ron, Ginny and Neville took position outside the Room of Requirement and waited with wands at the ready. It seemed like ages as they waited. Ron's thoughts drifted to Hermione as he hoped that she would be all right with Luna.

Then, suddenly, Malfoy appeared. But before any of them could do anything, the blond Slytherin threw something into the air and everything went black. Ron recognised it as Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. Everything that the tried, Lumos, Incendio, did not work as they could not see Malfoy or his accomplices until the Powder wore off or until they had gotten into another corridor. They recognised several Death Eaters following Malfoy up to the Astronomy Tower. It was then that all hell broke loose. Order members appeared and duelled with the Death Eaters, including Remus, Tonks, and Bill. Ron, Ginny and Neville began to duel the Death Eaters, too. Ron noticed a big blond Death Eater firing off curses left, right and centre, apparently not caring who was hit, and he eventually hit one of own, who fell to his death. Ron attempted to pick off the blond Death Eater, but he heard his brother cry out as he was being attacked by a large man who was trying to maul him like some sort of wild dog. Then it hit him. This man was Fenrir Greyback: the werewolf who targeted kids and had bitten Remus when Remus was a small boy. So Ron fired a spell at Greyback which sent him flying off of Bill, but instead he made his way up the stairs towards the Astronomy Tower with three other Death Eaters, who Ron did not know. He then tried to hit the blond Death Eater again but his jinx was blocked as he then tried to get to Bill.

Neville gave him cover as knelt down beside his oldest brother.

'Bill? Talk to me, are you all right?' he asked shakily.

Bill groaned in response and Ron pulled him around a corner to where he could see Hermione and Luna approaching them.

'Hermione – Luna! I need you take Bill to the Hospital Wing, please!' said Ron pleadingly.

Hermione conjured a stretcher as Luna levitated Bill on to it and together they left with Bill.

Ron then turned around to see Neville follow Snape up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower, but could only watch as Neville bounced off of some sort of shield and he fell down the stairs. The big blond Death Eater laughed as he cast a Killing Curse at Remus which missed as he tried to follow Neville, but again the shield kept him out. As other Order members joined in the fray, Ron called to Tonks to help him get to Remus and Neville. Together, they managed to get them to safety, as all of a sudden, Snape appeared with Malfoy and four Death Eaters in tow, then Harry just behind them. Ron looked at Harry in relief and wondered what had happened while he was on his mission with Dumbledore and up in the Astronomy Tower. It was then that Professor McGonagall appeared and took charge. She ordered Ron to go to the Hospital Wing as the Death Eaters were trying to retreat and escape from the castle unscathed. Ron did as he was told and found Hermione and Luna standing over a bed each. Ron saw that Luna was looking after Neville on Madam Pomfrey's orders. Hermione was helping Madam Pomfrey treat Bill's wounds. He walked over to Hermione and tapped her on the shoulder.

'Is he okay?' he asked her.

'Oh, Ron, thank goodness!' she said and she flung her arms around his neck as he held her tightly.

'Madam Pomfrey says he's going to be fine, but she can't cure his scars. No charm will work on them as they were made by Greyback. Don't worry; I don't think he will be a werewolf, because he was attacked by Greyback in his human form. Are you all right?' she said all this very fast.

'Yes, I'm fine. What about you?'

'Physically, I'm fine. I was just so worried about you and everyone else,' she replied as she was calming down in his arms.

'Where's Harry?' asked Ron to the room in general.

There were shrugs all around except Ginny who exclaimed, 'He's back?'

'Yeah, I saw him pursuing Snape and Malfoy,' Ron replied.

Ginny then looked out of the window and she could see a crowd had formed around the one of the buildings, and she could see Harry down there with Hagrid. So she ran out of the Hospital Wing to go and see if he was all right. Ron let her go as he was still holding Hermione in his arms, and was once more waiting. So he walked himself and Hermione over to chair and sat down. He pulled Hermione onto his lap and held her tightly once more. He sat there breathing in her scent for some time, but without knowing for how long.

It was then that Ginny returned with Harry.

Harry asked after Bill and Remus filled Harry in as to what happened. Then Harry dropped the biggest bombshell.

'Dumbledore is dead.'


	23. Post Mortems

Chapter Twenty-Three: Post Mortems

'What!'

'He can't be!'

'He is. I saw it happen. It was Snape. He killed Dumbledore,' said Harry sadly.

Remus could not believe it and he felt Tonks wrap her arms around him. Ron felt Hermione begin to cry and he held her closer. It was then when Professor McGonagall entered the Hospital Wing. She was upset at the events of the evening, but she did not know what had happened to Dumbledore until Harry told her. Professor McGonagall was so shocked that Madam Pomfrey had to help her into a chair.

'Albus always trusted him. He wouldn't hear a word against him. Said he had an iron-clad reason for trusting him …' Professor McGonagall said disbelievingly.

'I trusted him, too. I'm such an idiot!' said Harry scolding himself. He then asked Ron and Hermione for what had happened to them during everything.

Ron told him his side before Hermione tearfully told him what happened while she was with Luna.

'Luna and I were outside of Snape's office when Professor Flitwick came running down the stairs shouting that there were Death Eaters in the castle. He went inside to get Snape to help. Then Snape came out of his office and he saw us. He told us that Professor Flitwick had collapsed and that we should take him to the Hospital Wing. But it's so obvious now what really happened. Snape must have stunned him and told us to take care of him so he could join the Death Eaters. I was so stupid!'

'No you weren't, Hermione. If you hadn't done what he told you, he might have killed you and Luna, too,' said Ron as he held her and rubbed her back to calm her.

The doors to the Hospital Wing opened once more as three more people entered. It was Mr and Mrs Weasley, along with Fleur. Both women ran to Bill's bedside to see if he was all right. Tears were flowing down Fleur's face.

'He was always so handsome. And he was going to be married …' said Mrs Weasley.

'What do you mean by zat!' said Fleur angrily.

'Only that he looks so –'

'You do not think Bill will want to marry me anymore because of zese scars? Or maybe you 'oped 'e would see sense and not want to marry me? Nothing will stop me loving 'im! Nothing will stop 'im from marrying me! What do I care 'ow 'e looks? I am good looking enough for the both of us, I think! All zese scars show is zat my 'usband is brave – and I will do zat!' said Fleur angrily and passionately, as she snatched the ointment for Bill's scars away from Mrs Weasley, and began to treat his scars as best she could.

Everybody stood still and not saying a word as they waited for Mrs Weasley's infamous temper to kick in.

Instead, Mrs Weasley said, 'My Auntie Muriel has a beautiful tiara I'm sure I can persuade her to lend to you for the wedding.'

'Zat would be lovely,' said Fleur, and then the two embraced before the doors opened again and Hagrid entered.

'I've done it. I've moved 'im. D-Dumbledore's body,' Hagrid sobbed.

It was then that Professor McGonagall stood up once more and asked if Harry and Hagrid would join her in the Headmaster's Office and the three of them left the Hospital Wing.

'What's going on? Why did Harry have to leave?' asked Ginny.

'I can only guess that Minerva wants to talk to Harry about what happened, and to talk to the Heads of House about what to do next. Maybe they'll contemplate closure of the school, I don't know,' said Remus, 'maybe consult the School governors.'

The doors to the Hospital Wing opened again and this time it was Sirius.

'I came as soon as I heard, where's Harry?'

'McGonagall asked him to join her in the Headmaster's Office,' said Tonks.

'He's all right, though, isn't he?'

'He's sustained no injury that we could see. But, Sirius, he saw it. He saw Snape kill Dumbledore,' said Remus.

'Fuck! Have the Ministry of Morons been informed?'

'I expect so.'

'Fuck!' Sirius exclaimed angrily as he kicked a chair aside.

'Sirius, would you mind your language in front of the children?' said Mrs Weasley.

Sirius just glared at her and swore again.

Ron, too, felt like kicking something and swearing. But he was still holding Hermione and he knew she needed him and more importantly, he needed to hold her tight after what had happened tonight.

Madam Pomfrey suggested that Ron, Hermione and Ginny try to get sleep in Gryffindor Tower and Luna go to Ravenclaw Tower, respectively. Deciding there nothing for it, the four of them left the Hospital Wing. The three Gryffindors escorted Luna to Ravenclaw Tower and thanked her for her help before going back to Gryffindor Tower.

When they got there, Ginny bid Ron and Hermione goodnight before going to her bed. Ron noticed that both Seamus and Dean were still in the Common Room and so he took Hermione up to the boy's dormitory to wait for Harry. They did not have to wait too long as Harry arrived ten minutes later.

'What's happening?' asked Ron as Harry sat at the foot of the bed that Ron and Hermione were lying on.

'They're talking about closing the school,' Harry replied.

'Remus said they would. Did you find it? The Horcrux?' said Hermione.

'No, somebody had already taken it and left a fake in its place,' Harry said sadly. 'It was all for nothing.'

'A fake?' asked Hermione.

'Here,' said Harry as he threw down a gold locket.

Hermione picked it up and opened it. She took out the small piece of parchment and unfolded it before beginning to read.

'"_To the Dark Lord_

_I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret._

_I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can._

_I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more._

_R.A.B"'_

'Who's R.A.B.?' asked Ron.

'I've no idea and I'm far too tired to care at this point so I'm going to try to get some sleep. So, goodnight,' said Harry, who went over to his own bed and without stopping remove his clothes he climbed onto his bed, and closed the curtains.

'Hermione, will you stay with me, tonight?' asked Ron quietly.

'Yes, I don't want to be alone tonight,' she said back to him.

Ron fished through his trunk and he eventually found an Orange Chudley Cannons shirt and handed it to her. 'You can sleep in that,' he said.

Hermione went to use the bathroom to change out of her robes as Ron stripped out of his own, brushed his teeth before getting into his bed and waited for Hermione to join him. It was a few minutes later when she came out of the bathroom wearing his shirt. She looked so fucking beautiful in that moment and he had never wanted her more. However, the events of tonight meant that he knew that she would not be in the mood and instead, he pulled back the covers in invitation as she slipped into the bed with him. His arms went around her immediately as she laid her head on his chest after sharing a kiss goodnight and together they fell asleep.


	24. Goodbye

Chapter Twenty-Four: Goodbye

All lessons, tests and examinations were cancelled. Hogwarts' School had entered a period of mourning. May was coming to an end and the warm weather seemed to mock them. Since Dumbledore had died the castle had begun to empty as parents had withdrawn their children. Zacharias Smith, the arsehole Hufflepuff, had been taken out by his father. Seamus Finnigan had refused point blank to leave when his mother arrived and had had to find accommodation in Hogsmeade so she could stay for the funeral. Many wizards and witches had come from far and wide trying to find somewhere to stay during the mourning period. The trio and Ginny visited Bill every day to keep up with his progress as he recovered from the attack from Greyback. All four of them had been pleased to see Fleur still by his bedside and fussing over him worse than Mrs Weasley. Everyday more departures were being made, the Patils and several Slytherins. Though Crabbe and Goyle still remained, it seemed that they looked a little lonely without Malfoy sitting between them. Gryffindor Tower was a quiet and sombre place these days as no-one felt like smiling. This was because every so often somebody would suddenly burst into tears, or someone would punch a wall in anger.

Harry, meanwhile, was making plans in his head. He would not be coming back to Hogwarts next year. He had a mission to do and he would accomplish it alone. He could not ask Ron and Hermione to accompany him. They were engaged and happy. They would be better off without him. He would not ask Ginny and Sirius to go with him either. Of course he would have to wait until he was seventeen to make his move to start the mission that Dumbledore had left for him – the hunting and destruction of Voldemort's Horcruxes, then to finish him once and for all. At night, he was quiet. He held Ginny close and just took it all in as if would be the last time.

Ron and Hermione were equally subdued. They spent as much time as possible together. They ate together, they walked together and they slept together. Every night Hermione would get into bed with Ron. But she was not the only girl who held their significant other through the night. Lavender Brown would join Seamus in his bed, and Ginny would join Harry in his. Ron did not voice any objections to this arrangement as Ginny needed the comfort as well as Harry, just as all the other couples in the castle did, especially when Neville was released from the Hospital Wing. He was joined by Hannah in the Gryffindor Common Room, and she would join him in his bed at night, too.

The funeral for Albus Dumbledore was as sad as they expected. Ron and Hermione held each other through the sad service. They noticed all the people who had turned up for the funeral. There were many of the occupants of Hogsmeade, including Madam Rosmerta, and the barman of the Hog's Head, the other drinking establishment in the village. Several Ministry Officials including the Minister, Percy, and to their utter disgust, Dolores Umbridge were in attendance. They had watched as Hagrid had carried the body as the funeral was conducted. Poor Hagrid, he had lost the man who had become like a second father to him. Ron spared him a glance as he took his seat at the back with his brother, the giant Grawp, and took out an enormous handkerchief and blew his nose, and tried to stem flow of large fat tears that were leaking out of his warm eyes. Ron just continued to hold Hermione as she wept into his shoulder. He played with her hair and gently rubbed her back. She clung to him as if to draw strength from him. He would talk to her when this was over to discuss what they were going to do next.

The funeral had now drawn to its conclusion as people began to stand and leave. Ron looked across and saw Harry talking to Ginny. He hoped that Harry was being as comforting as possible to Ginny. Ron focused on Hermione once more. 'It's going to be all right, love,' he whispered to her.

She held him tighter and he kept her in his arms, too. He noticed that Harry had gone, but Ginny was still in her seat. She had tears running down her cheeks and Ron could not help wonder what Harry had said. Ginny met his questioning look and said sadly, 'He broke up with me.'

'_Stupid Noble Git,'_ Ron and Hermione both thought. The three of them stood up and embraced each other for comfort before Ginny went back inside the castle. Ron and Hermione looked around to find Harry. They spotted him talking to Rufus Scrimegeour and decided to see if Harry was all right.

Just before they reached him, the Minister stormed past them angrily. When they did reach Harry, they saw him looking up at the castle.

'I can't bear the thought that Hogwarts might close,' said Hermione.

'I'm not coming back even if it does reopen,' said Harry.

'I had a feeling you were going to say that. What will you do?' said Hermione.

'I'm going to find all the Horcruxes and destroy them. And if I meet Severus Snape on the way, so much the better for me, so much the worse for him,' said Harry determinedly.

'And we'll be there with you,' said Ron.

'No, I can't ask you to come with me on this.'

'And you haven't. We're volunteering,' said Ron.

'But –'

'No buts, Harry. We're both seventeen and we can do what we like. You told us before that we could turn back, and we've had time, haven't we?' said Ron.

'We're not going to leave you now, Harry James Potter,' said Hermione.

'Not to mention, mum and Fleur will kill us if we miss the wedding, remember?' asked Ron.

'Yeah …'

The three of them went back inside the castle to finish their packing. Harry only had a few bits and bobs left to pack and he was done. So he left the boy's dorm for the last time and left Gryffindor Tower.

Ron, ever the procrastinator, had only just started his packing. He looked through his trunk to see if he had packed everything. As he searched, he found a cup wrapped in a scarf. He remembered with a smile how he became in possession of the cup. He opened the secret compartment of his trunk and found all the pairs of knickers that he had taken from Hermione. There were red, black, and white pairs of knickers. The first pair she had ever given him was not amongst them. This was because they were special. He closed the secret compartment once more and remembered the day he got the first pair. His musing was cut off by the door opening to reveal the object of his fantasy. Hermione came into the room carrying her usual bag that she carried with her that contained a change of clothing for when they would get back to King's Cross. She was wearing her uniform as they were still Prefects and they would still be expected to patrol the train. He put the last things into his trunk. It was three photographs. Hermione sat next to him on the bed and looked over his shoulder at the photographs. One of them was of the three of them together. This one had Ron standing between Harry and Hermione. The second one was of Ron and Hermione together. This one had Ron embracing her from behind with his arms around her waist and his head on her shoulder. They were both smiling brightly at the camera. The third photograph was of Hermione. In this one she was alone. It was a muggle photograph as the picture was not moving. Ron carefully put them all into his trunk and closed the lid and locked it.

'Knut for your thoughts, Ron?' she asked.

'I was just thinking that we might never come back here, the dorms – Common Room – Gryffindor Tower – the whole place. As well as all the things that has happened here. I made friends with Harry. I met you and made friends with you. I fell in love with you. We made love here. I asked you to marry me here. So many bloody amazing things have happened to me here,' he said looking into the brown eyes he loved so much.

'I know. This castle is special to me too. And for the same reasons as you,' she said taking his hand and kissing it.

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it to return the affection.

'I wonder if I would've gotten to be Head Girl …' Hermione mused.

'Definitely,' said Ron fervently, 'That badge has had your name on it since first year. I doubt I would've gotten Head Boy, though.'

'I think you would've, and besides, I wouldn't want to be Head Girl if you weren't Head Boy.'

They stayed quiet to think for a few moments until Ron spoke again, 'You know, we've never made love in the boy's dorms, at least not that I can remember. I've licked you into bliss, but we've never made love in here,' he said.

'Do you want to?' she asked.

'Yes. I need to be inside you in here.'

Then he pulled her into a searing and passionate kiss. He traced his hand up her skirt and rubbed her through her knickers as he moved to kiss her neck.

'Oh, Ron,' she whimpered.

He then began to pull her knickers down her smooth, soft and silky legs and off as she unbuckled his belt and opened his fly before tugging down his trousers. She cast the Contraception Charm as she stroked his hard cock. He pushed her onto her back and he got on top of her before he slid his erect member into her warm womanhood and began to thrust hard and fast.

'Oh, God, Ron … yes … oh, oh … Ron … fuck me …' she moaned.

'Oh, Hermione … I love you … and I'm gonna fuck you …' he panted as he thrust into her faster and harder.

'OH, OH, GOD … OH, RON … YES … OH, FUCK … I'M SO CLOSE, RON!' she yelled as she felt her orgasm build.

'Yes, Hermione … cum for me, my Goddess … cum for me, now …' said Ron huskily.

'YES, YES, RON, I'M CUMMING … OH, OH, GOD, ROOOONNNN!' she screamed as her orgasm hit her hard causing her to shudder violently in his arms as he climaxed hard with a growl of her name, before he collapsed on top of her for a minute. He kissed her neck as she stroked his hair lovingly.

'That was wonderful, Ron.'

'It always is, my Goddess.'

Ron then stood up to pull up his trousers. He then picked up her knickers and put them in his trunk. Hermione watched him as he straightened himself out before she made herself presentable.

'You won't need those knickers anymore,' Ron said smiling.

Hermione smiled back with a shrug before pulling him into another kiss. Ron picked up his carry-on bag with his change of clothes inside and watched as the trunk vanished before them. Knowing it was the house-elves performing their duty on clearing and cleaning out the dorms. So, together, Ron and Hermione left the Tower for the last time and made the long walk to where the carriages were waiting to take the remaining students to Hogsmeade station.

Once on the train, the trio took a compartment to themselves. Harry was quiet and Ron and Hermione just left him to his thoughts. They knew he had a plan, or at least, forming one. They knew he would let them know soon. Though Ron did want to talk to Harry about breaking up with Ginny, he decided not to. He knew Harry had his reasons and he knew that Harry would eventually tell him those reasons. But if he to guess, he would guess that Harry had done it to protect her from Voldemort, whether this plan would be successful, only time would tell. He looked at Hermione. She was reading and had her feet in Ron's lap as he rubbed them. He gave her a pinch to get her attention. She looked at him and he gave her an unspoken reminder that they had to patrol the train. So she slipped her shoes back on and then together they patrolled the almost empty train. They passed empty compartment after empty compartment until they saw Crabbe and Goyle sitting there doing nothing except reading comics. So, they walked back down the train towards the compartment where Harry was brooding alone. But then Ron took Hermione into an empty compartment and closed the door behind them. He then shut all the blinds before turning back to her with a hungry look on his face.

'I want you here and now – on the train. We've never done it here, either,' he said huskily.

Hermione just nodded as Ron took her in his arms and kissed her breathless. He backed her up against the door before taking out his wand to cast a privacy spell. He undid his own trousers at rapid speed before he turned her around and bent her over, and pulling up her skirt to reveal her bare arse.

Hermione moaned and cried in pleasure and pain as he moved inside her and spanked her. He pounded into her for what felt like hours. He pulled on her hair. He talked dirty to her as he fucked her. She was moaning loudly as she pleaded and promised "to be a good girl". They could both feel the other getting close to their climaxes until they came hard before collapsing on the floor spent. Ron pulled her to him and he held her and whispered words of love and promises of protecting her with every fibre of his being. She whispered them back before remembering that Harry was wondering where they were. So once they had made themselves presentable, they went back to Harry.

They joined him on the compartment where he was talking to Neville and Hannah. Ron sat down and pulled Hermione onto his lap and held her. The compartment was quiet again once Neville and Hannah left. Nobody spoke a word until the train pulled into King's Cross station.

'I'm not going back to the Dursleys,' said Harry.

'I thought you had to for the blood protection,' said Hermione.

'Yeah, but they're not the only spells and Dumbledore did them, maybe they're not there anymore. Besides, being there leaves me vulnerable to attack,' said Harry.

'So are they, though,' said Ron.

'I know, but I've already taken that into account and will make arrangements for their safety, if they don't like it; tough shit.'

'As long as you're sure, come on, everyone's waiting,' said Ron.

With that, they disembarked the Hogwarts' Express for the last time. They collected their trunks and walked through the barrier one final time to meet their families, make their plans, and enjoy a few more days of peace.

_**A/N: That's it done. Hopefully, I haven't butchered this one either. Thanks to all of you who reviewed and chose to favourite this story.**_

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione will return.**_


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